The Belmont Legacy
by Noralesong
Summary: Upon receiving her acceptance letter to Hogwarts, Tansy Belmont is removed from her foster home and tossed into the brilliant wizarding world she never knew existed. But her name has more legacy than she could have ever assumed as she uncovers the fate of her family and her destiny. (Multiple years. OC plot and characters. Slytherin) Rating subject to change as years progress.
1. Year One: CH 1 - The Letter

"Get up you good for nothing girl!" a woman shrieked, tapping the floorboard with a broomstick.

Stirring, Tansy slipped from off of her cot, neatly folding the itchy wool blanket before heading downstairs. The apartment was dingy and dirty, a thin coat of grime over the old discolored tiles. Even when she scrubbed them, they remained the same grody yellow hue. Downstairs, Miss Medlar, was waiting impatiently for her.

She was a plump woman with a smock just as discolored as the old tiles and peeling linoleum flooring. She had that blasted wooden spoon in her hand, resting it on her hip. Her beady eyes were set on a swollen, plump face, her lips like worms as she breathed heavily out of her pig nose.

"For all the good I do for you Tansy and you can't even get your skinny butt out of bed in time," Miss Medlar complained loudly.

"I'm sorry-" Tansy began. Miss Medlar was among the worst foster mother she'd had thus yet. Bouncing from house to house, Tansy had ended up with Miss Medlar for the past three years. Just when things had seemed to be looking up at the other homes, mysterious things would happen, and her foster parents would refuse to keep her anymore.

Miss Medlar had two other foster children and two biological children. She claimed to have whipped all of them into shape, Tansy included. Miss Medlar only got the 'troubled' children and once they were shaped up, they could be placed in better houses. Tansy had been there the longest. Part of her believed that Miss Medlar just liked having someone to wait her hand and foot.

"Well get over here and finish up making breakfast," she demanded, moving away from the stove so that Tansy could fit.

Tansy was short for her age and barely tall enough to properly use a stove. She gave a small squeak when Miss Medlar rapped her on the rear with the dreaded spoon and headed over to the table to prepare it. The table was certainly on its last leg, having been repaired numerous times. Perhaps it had once been a handsome antique, but with so many children coming in and out of the house, it had been badly scratched up and wobbled uncontrollably.

The amount of lard that Miss Medlar had put in the pan made a mess of the poor quality bacon, coating it in even more oil. Tansy tried not to wrinkled her nose, but the oil was splashing up and speckling her hands and arms.

With a slam, several feet pattered into the hallway and then in through the kitchen, tracking mud and debris. The four boys had been playing out in the nearby field, some of the only vegetation all of Burnley had.

"Mum is breakfast ready?" the eldest of the group asked, one of Miss Medlar's children. His name was Hobson and he considered himself the most handsome of them all, though Tansy would have thought the whole lot of them were shrewish in appearance. He had short dark hair, a smattering of freckles, and a pug face much like his own mother.

"Go ahead and take yer seats boys. We're finishing up now," Miss Medlar chirped cheerfully, her demeanor shifting entirely in the company of the boys.

It was always like this, Miss Medlar preferred the boys to girls. Tansy had only seen one other girl while she was here and she'd been treated just as badly. But the boys were angels and never had to do much more than be boys. Ironically, they were the most troubled of them all.

Sitting down, the boys purposely began to teetered the table, causing it to groan. The plates and silverware chattered as they were also set off balance. While the noise continued, Tansy stood on the tips of her toes to remove the hot pan from the stove. She brought it over to the counter and placed it on a plate with some paper towels to pat off some of the grease. By that time the rest of the food had been placed on the table and the boys were chanting for the bacon to be added.

Tansy hurried over and slid it on to the table where it was greedily swept up by the boys. There wouldn't be any for her to have by the time she sat down, not that she minded, it had smelled gross anyways. All that was left was the bottom of a corn muffin, which Tansy decided was lucky enough. Sometimes she didn't even get that much.

"Now, now, we've got some things to do today. Only a month until school begins and we're hoping to see all of your acceptance letters come in," Miss Medlar piped as she sat down at the head of the table finally, unrolling a paper and dropping another sugar cube into her tea. The floral cup was chipped, but probably the nicest thing Miss Medlar owned; it had lovely painted flowers and a golden rim. Every morning Miss Medlar would drink out of it, facing the chip outward so she wouldn't cut her lip.

Eating her muffin, Tansy stared at the cup. She felt sorry for Miss Medlar often. She had no husband to help her with the bills and survived on what the government gave her to take in foster children. They lived in one of the poorest towns and even though Miss Medlar was tough with her, Tansy couldn't help but wonder what kind of stress the plump woman was under. Everytime the mail came in, her face would pale at the bills.

"Tansy!" Miss Medlar snipped as she glanced over her paper. "It's rude to stare and keep your elbows off the table."

Tansy removed her elbows and nodded meekly. The boys sniggered at her before talking about their mischief and endeavors out in the neighborhood.

"Tansy isn't going to get into Hubble Grove. Who would accept her?" Petyr, a small copper haired boy pointed out. He was among the newest foster child, but he had slipped into the boys' crowd rather quickly. He had a habit of pinching Tansy when he got the chance, trying to see how hard he could pinch before she squealed. All of the children were of around the same age, three of them were going to start attending secondary schooling. Hobson, Medlar's eldest, was the only one who was already at his secondary school.

"Hush now Petyr, Tansy makes good enough marks," Miss Medlar defended, but did not argue that Tansy might not be accepted into the local boarding school. With her 'troubled' title, she doubted the Hubble Grove would accept her anyways. She already caused enough trouble at school.

Once, a girl who had been making fun of how dark her hair was in comparison to her pasty complexion, had flew into a nearby fountain. Tansy had insisted she hadn't pushed her in, there had been at least 6 feet in between them, however she still received detention and was suspended for a day. Tansy could recall the sting of Miss Medlar's spoon that day once she had gotten a call from the headmistress about the fight.

In truth, Tansy didn't want to go to Hubble Grove. It's where Hobson went and she was certain that the other boys would get in as well. Hubble Grove wasn't of any prestige either, perhaps for the area, but it was likely to be just as seedy and undesirable as all of Burnley was.

"Where did you apply to, Tansy?" Allie asked. He was the nicest of the boys and still, when the others prompted him, he would be just as cruel.

"All Hallows School-" she began, almost becoming jittery as she recalled the pictures she had seen in the brochure.

"You? In All Hallows? How do you think you're going to pay for it?" Hobson demanded. "Even if you do get accepted you can't afford to go! Or did you forget you're an orphan?"

Tansy's cheeks flushed, her dream of going to some prim and proper boarding school crashing around her. She had hoped that maybe they would take pity in her and offer her a scholarship. The letters she had written had been heartfelt and genuine, but now she just felt like an idiot. How would she afford a school like that?

A jingling sound sent Hobson to his feet. "The mail is here! Maybe Tansy's acceptance letter to All Hallows is here," he jabbed as he trundled to the apartment front door to retrieve the letters. Flipping through them, the smile fell of his face as he held up a heavy parchment letter. "To Miss Tansy L. Belmont, Cott in the Attic, 346 Travelers Blvd. Apartment 2, Burnley," he read, stumbling over a few words as he eyed the green cursive on the front.

"Looks fancy! Give it here! I want to hear them declining her application-" Petyr reached his grubby fingers across the table.

Miss Meldar stood abruptly, the chair screeching beneath her as she stood. She reached over and snatched it from her son, her face becoming rather pale as she turned it over to glance at the sigil on the back. "Boys, go outside and play," she said, trying to control the quivering in her voice.

"But mum-"

"OUT!" Miss Meldar boomed, sending the boys scurrying away like mice from a cat. She collapsed back down in her chair and waited until she heard the door close behind them. "Tansy, dear, can you start cleaning up?"

Tansy, startled by Miss Meldar yelling at the boys, nodded and began clearing the table. She scrapped the dishes off in the trash and used the stool at the counter to begin washing them. Miss Meldar was a strong woman and few things shook her, but an acceptance letter to a school? She was puzzled as to why it would upset her so much.

"Miss Meldar do you want another cup of tea? I can put the kettle back on," Tansy offered kindly.

"Yes please," she muttered as she opened the letter and began reading its contents.

Confused by how kind Miss Meldar was being, Tansy filled the kettle back up and dragged the stool over so she could turn the stove on and set it. She returned to the dishes to finish washing them, replacing them in the rack, before she came over with more tea for Miss Meldar.

"Tansy sit down please," Miss Meldar requested softly.

Tansy put the kettle on the stove again and pulled up close to Miss Meldar. "Are you ok, Miss Meldar?"

"Well you see... I..." the plump woman looked like she was in a tiff, unable to properly explain herself. "This letter. I remember when I was waiting for my acceptance letter to Hogwarts, but it never came. My family was so upset, I'd never shown much promise anyways... A Squib they call us folk, unable to-" she let out a low sigh and picked up her cup. "Read this."

A few heavy pieces of parchment, made of the same material as the envelope. Scrawled in a brilliant emerald ink, Tansy spent a moment just admiring the beautiful handwriting.

" _Dear Miss Tansy L. Belmont,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

 _Term beginning on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _M. McGonagall_  
 _Headmistress_ ," Tansy read aloud, placing the parchment on the table as she shot a confounded look at Miss Meldar. "Witchcraft and Wizardry? Is this some kind of joke?" she asked her, not meaning to sound albeit vexed.

"No!" Miss Meldar shrieked. "This is a serious letter. You don't realize how lucky you are Tansy. I wished and wished for a letter like this. The only issue is... I don't know how we're going to afford the supplies. I'd have to turn what muggle money I have into... and I surely don't have enough to afford a wand which is usually around 10 galleons."

"Muggle? What's a muggle?" Tansy inquired.

"A non-magic folk. My whole family were wizards and witches. Disowned me once I was old enough and that's how I came to be out here. I wonder... maybe we can take out a loan at Gringotts for your supplies," she contemplated, tapping her fat lips. "Y'know, it suddenly makes sense why all those things happened at school. The girl in the fountain, you getting on top of the flagpole..."

"I told you I didn't know how those happened," Tansy grumbled.

"It was your magic," Miss Meldar insisted.

"If magic does exist," Tansy began hypothetically, "do you think that my parents were part of that? Wizards or whatever?"

"Entirely possible, but I can't say for certain. I don't have any information on your parents... However, it's possible that some wizards might."

"Can I afford to go to school? There's no tuition listed," Tansy commented, flipping the parchment over.

"Hogwarts is free. The Ministry of Magic pays for all students to go. If you have magic, you have to go to school and that's that. We'll have to go to London to get your supplies and maybe we'll glean a bit more about your family whilst there," Miss Meldar decided promptly. "I'll have to figure out who can keep an eye on the boys. We're going to have to get you cleaned up too. Let's go to town today and get you a haircut."

"Really?" Tansy was in disbelief. The strict woman she once knew was changing before her very eyes. Did having magic really make her that much different? There was an excitement in Miss Meldar's eyes that she had never seen before. Sometimes she was happy to watch her sons in sports, but this was beyond that. Miss Meldar's wish to be accepted to Hogwarts was being fulfilled by Tansy now.

"Go get washed and changed up," Miss Meldar directly as she stood up, running her index finger along the chip in the teacup.

When Tansy returned, Miss Meldar had dressed in her 'fine clothes' as she liked to call them. In truth, the brightly pink velvet dress was anything but fine. Her hair had been taken out of its rollers and framed her round face with bright blonde curls. Her thick legs were stuffed into nylons like sausages and her feet were in hot pink heels that did not match the dress in the slightest. Putting her ridiculous hat on, Miss Meldar motioned for Tansy to followed her.

Upon walking into town, they passed the boys, whom she informed that they would be out for a while. Miss Meldar took Tansy to the hair salon, a luxury that she had never been able to afford. Most often, Miss Meldar had taken her own shears to Tansy's hair, creating uneven lumps in her thick lockes. The woman in the salon lathered her hair, washed it, and then gave her an even trim.

Their second stop was at the local hand me down store. Tansy hadn't grown much over the last few years and thus rarely needed her clothes replaced. Miss Meldar picked a good amount of clothes for her to try on, some of which still had tags on from when people dropped them off at the shop.

"Now you have to look like a proper good girl and you'll be needing some skirts and shirts when you aren't wearing your uniform. Now, I expect you to be the neat young lady I've trained you to be," Miss Meldar told her as they were checking out, a hint of her strictness returning. However, when the woman looked at her, there was a jolly twinkle in her beady eyes that replaced the disdain they used to hold.

Dressed in some newer clothes, a plaid skirt and a white blouse, they returned home to where the boys were waiting. They sat in front of the tele trying to each get a turn on their gaming console that was split between the 4 of them. Since 2 remotes had been broken, Miss Meldar refused to replace them until Christmas, teaching them to better care for their belongings.

"Oi, mum why does Tansy look nice?" Hobson demanded, jumping to his feet. "Is there anything for me in those bags?"

"Tansy got an acceptance letter to a very prestigious school and a full scholarship. She'll be going to the boarding school in a few weeks time," Miss Meldar told him, looking down her nose at him, disappointed her own son was not going to Hogwarts.

"She got into All Hallows School?" Petyr inquired, dumping the controller carelessly onto the ground.

"No, she got into Hogwarts, it's very far up north, not something people around here would know about. They're not cultured enough," Miss Meldar sniffed, placing her meaty hand on Tansy's shoulder and giving a reassuring squeeze. "Speaking of which, I've texted Mrs. Butterhock and she's going to be babysitting you tomorrow. I have to go with Tansy to London to get her school supplies. And I swear, if I hear you give that old woman any trouble it will be a whooping for each of you."

"Hogwarts? Sounds stupid," Gordon piped up.

"Why can't we come? I want to go to London!" Hobson's face began to turn a molted red, as if he were going to explode.

"And tell me what you've done to deserve to go to London?" Miss Meldar inquired gently.

"I'm your son!"

"This is not a day on the town! I will take you lot another time, but tomorrow is to get Tansy's school supplies. I don't need you slowing us down, there is a lot to do. And that's final Hobson, I hear any more lip from you and I'll lock you in your room for the day tomorrow," Miss Meldar threatened, her own face growing red and flushed.

Hobson backed down and returned to the gaming system, shoving Allie aside so he could gain control of the remote. By the way he was acting, Tansy hoped she could find things to do for the day so that he wouldn't take out his bitterness on her before she got to leave.

Sensing her own son's tantrum coming, Miss Meldar cleared her throat. "Tansy why don't you start mopping up the floor from earlier. I have a few things I need you to do after you fold your clothes."

Tansy could only remain busy for so long and found herself sitting up in her attic room playing with a discarded action figure. The arm was bent in the wrong direction and then thrown away, but Tansy just pretended that he was double jointed. Her logic was that if she remained out of sight, perhaps she was also out of mind. Eventually, one of the boys shrieked that it was dinner time. Astounded that she hadn't been summoned previously to help make dinner, Tansy dropped the ladder and made her way down ground floor.

Before she could make it to the staircase leading to the kitchen, Hobson came round the corner and pinned her to the wall. There was little use fighting, he was twice as tall as she and thrice as heavy.

"What?" she muttered, glancing up at him. Her mind was filled with so many curiosities, but she didn't know if she could trust it until she saw what waited in London.

"I don't care if you got accepted to some prestigious school. Don't think you're going to fool me like you did my mum," he growled.

"Maybe there's more that you don't know about your mum. I know one of her secrets," Tansy quipped, daring him to make enough noise that his mother would hear.

"I know everything about my mum," he pressed harder against her collar.

"Doubt it," Tansy groaned.

Hobson released her, frowning, but allowed her to pass him. "Be careful," he warned as she stood at the top of the stairs.

A nagging feeling itched at her as she headed down the first few steps. Her foot snagged halfway down the staircase and she was sent lurching forward, head over heels. With a loud crash, she tumbled to the bottom of the stairs, Petyr and Gordon fleeing as they snickered at her. Tansy blinked, tears collecting in the corners of her eyes. Slowly, she rose, checking to make certain that she hadn't cut herself up or broken anything.

"Clutz," Hobson grunted as he shoved her into the wall, out of his way.

Sniffling, Tansy wiped her nose on her aching arm and followed them into the kitchen to have dinner.

* * *

 **A small author note.**

 **This story is very slow paced and intended to reflect the pace of an actual HP book.**

 **If you enjoyed the story, please leave a review. Questions are appreciated and I will take the time to answer any that I get as well.**

 **Thank you!**

 **\- Fae**


	2. Year One: CH 2 - Diagon Alley

With one evening until she got to pick up her school supplies, the boys had certainly done well to make it the worst. Miss Meldar had done her best to give Tansy a hearty dinner, loading her plate up before the boys could take it all away. Almost as if feeding her well now would make up for how scrawny she was in just a month's time. On her way up to her room, the boys wrestled the attic ladder away from her and then as she finally was ascending, they pushed it up and nearly caught her foot in the door. Inside their own rooms, they tapped on their ceilings, trying to keep her up all night.

Despite the noise, Tansy stared at her marred action figure, Captain America. Her mind was filled with wild thoughts, about magic and school, and how she'd only have to put up with the boys for a little bit longer. She had done it thus far, so why not a bit longer? Maybe she could learn some magic and use it on them, get them to leave her alone.

Eventually, the boys settled down and went to bed, allowing for Tansy to curl up on her cot with her smelly blanket. Bright and early, Miss Meldar pulled the attic stairs down and called for her to get ready for the day.

Putting on her newer clothes, she freshened up in the washroom before joining Miss Meldar in the kitchen. Mrs. Butterhock had already arrived for the day, she was an elderly woman whose back was slightly hunched forward. There had been days that Tansy had to spend with her and she had wished Mrs. Butterhock had been her foster mother. She was a kindly woman, her vision failing her, and probably not the best to watch rowdy boys. She could barely see more than two feet in front of her and had huge, coke bottle glasses that slipped down her small pointed nose.

"Is that you Tansy? I heard you got an acceptance letter to a prestigious secondary school, congratulations are in order," the old woman greeted as Tansy came forward, her knobbly fingers touching the girl's arm.

"Thank you Mrs. Butterhock. How are your dogs doing?" she asked politely.

"Oh those two little ankle biters are doing just fine," Mrs. Butterhock waved it off, but that's really all the old woman spoke about. Ever since her husband had passed away, she had little else to do than take care of her dogs, which were two small furry mops that barked at everything that moved aside from Mrs. Butterhock herself. She mentioned having some adult children who lived out in the country, but in the three years Tansy had lived in the neighborhood, she had never noticed them stop by.

"If those boys give you any trouble, any trouble at all, give me a ring. You have my cell number on the counter here and in your phone, Mrs. Butterhock," Miss Meldar told her, motioning to where she would be leaving the note. Tansy doubted that it would be there in an hour. The boys would likely dispose of it. "I've got your list of supplies here, we should get going so we don't miss our ride."

It only dawned on Tansy then that London was some distance away. With little to no traffic she judged it should take them four and a half hours to reach the city.

Tansy bid goodbye, following Miss Meldar, dressed in another round of her 'fine clothes'. This time she had a leopard print dress with a black cardigan.

"Miss Meldar, how are we going to get to London and back in just one day?" Tansy inquired as they exited the apartment. The neighborhood was filled with tightly packed brick apartments, closer together than sardines in a can. There were no trees, just cracked pavement and many identical buildings. Burnley had been the a prominent mill town at one point and all of these shabby apartments had been built for the mill workers. Now, the inhabitants were just the lower class people struggling to pay their bills on meager wages.

"An old friend, surprised I got in touch with him to be honest. But he was always fond of muggle technology, so this worked better than I thought," she brandished her cellphone, cracked screen and all. "Was writing him on the computer few years back. Got a job at the Ministry in muggle relations."

A beat up sedan pulled up in front of the apartment, a gentleman rolling the window down to give Miss Meldar a toothy smile. "Well, if it isn't my old childhood friend. To think one of your foster children would be accepted into Hogwarts!"

"And hopefully manner more of them are, I can't think of a better school to send her off to," Miss Meldar confessed, pulling Tansy to her bosom as if to demonstrate their relationship. Squirming in her grasp, it felt like ages before she was released and able to breathe. "Thank you for arriving on such short notice, but I do not know how we would have gotten to London in a timely manner."

"Not a problem, my pleasure to help out an old friend and a new student to Hogwarts. Name is Coleman Enright, Muggle Relations with the Ministry of Magic. Why don't you ladies hop in?" he gestured to the car.

Miss Meldar took the passenger seat and Tansy sat in the middle of the back. Coleman was a thin, tall man with swallow skin and lank flaxen hair. Even though his teeth were crooked, he had a kind smile beneath his long, bulbous nose. In every way except for hair, Coleman was the exact opposite of Miss Meldar.

"Buckle up, it's going to be a bumpy ride," Mr Enright warned as he put the car into gear. The sedan puffed down the street and he pressed a button on the dashboard. There was a strangely placed gear beside the shifter, which he pulled up and twisted. Mr Enright's hands flew back to the steering wheel as he jerked it up and the car's wheels began to lift off the ground.

Tansy cried out in surprise as the ground began to grow distant beneath them. Her head spun, her first true sighting of magic while she was aware that it existed. Miss Meldar began laughing uncontrollably, her rolls of fat jiggling like a bowl of jelly as she held on tightly. Once Mr Enright reached a particular altitude he leveled out the car and kept cruising at a steady pace.

"It'll take us about an hour to reach London from here," Mr Enright informed them as he lazed in his seat, obviously relaxed.

"And people can't see us?" Tansy managed in a small voice, afraid to glance out the window. She gripped tightly to her seatbelt, reassuring herself that a flying car was perfectly normal in the wizarding world, right?

"No, this button here turns on the invisibility," Mr Enright said, lightly tapping the button on the dash he had pressed earlier. "So, Miss Tansy, were expecting your letter or?"

"Tansy has no idea who her family is. She was more shocked than I was," Miss Meldar told him, a big smile on her face.

"You can't remember anything? How long has this girl been in the system? I suppose it's possible that her parents were just muggles."

"As long as I can remember," Tansy shrugged. Sometimes she had dreams about a manse, but she considered them idle fancies rather than truth. Most other orphans probably dreamed of being the child of some rich family or being royalty, but if she was, wouldn't other members of her family have taken her in? And why was she with muggles? In any case, Tansy doubted her parents had been a witch or wizard, given the fact she was just circling around in the foster care system.

"Shame. Who knows, you could be some pureblood family for all you know," he quipped before turning his attention to his lost friend. "How have you been Esta? It's been ages since you emailed me back, I did miss your letters. You could always get an owl, don't matter much if you're a Squib. You can use an owl all the same."

"Didn't quite have a use for one, but anyways, I can't afford one," Miss Meldar sighed with a broken smile. "It's been tough you know, but I've tried my best. Never been good at much aside from cleaning, so I decided to start taking children in. Better my house than some… pedophile or someone who is in it only for the money."

Isn't that why you do it? Tansy wondered silently, but let the two catch up. Instead of eavesdropping, Tansy finally glanced out the window and looked down into the sky. Most of it was covered in clouds, obscuring the landscape beneath them. Sailing over the clouds, as if in a dream, Tansy felt her stomach growl loudly. In their rush to meet Mr Enright, they'd forgotten to eat. London couldn't come soon enough.

Coleman and Esta spoke for the entire hour about all sorts of things, but mostly adult problems and how expensive living had become in the more recent years. Even on his salary, Mr Enright said he had difficulties keeping up with the newest muggle technology, seeing how much one device would cost. Apparently the Ministry wanted him to research it all, but they never gave him a stipend to pay for it. Esta expressed her own disdain for how much the government would allow her for being a single mother caring for 5 children. How she never got to pamper herself and that all the money had to go to the children, which Tansy knew wasn't true.

At least once a month, Miss Meldar would go out and get herself a mani-pedi, get her hair bleached again, and buy another 'fine outfit'. Perhaps the outfits weren't that expensive, but the salons were. But if she was getting pampered once a month, it wouldn't fit her narrative with Coleman. With how kind Miss Meldar had been in the past day, Tansy decided it wasn't worth refuting her story and spoiling the mood she was in.

Landing in London, Mr Enright turned the invisibility off and drove through the city before they found a parking spot on the road. Mr Enright was even taller than he seemed in the car, fiddling with some coins in his pocket to fill the meter.

"Darn muggle coins, so tiny," he grumbled, his cheeks flushing. "Alright then, this way ladies."

Tansy noticed a sign on the road that read Chary Cross Road. She expected to see some sort of spectacular entrance, but was puzzled when they approached a dark, ratty entrance, wedged in between a bookstore and a record shop. City goers passed the shop with little notice, barely paying them any heed either. However, Tansy could read that the pub's name was the Leaky Cauldron.

Mr Enright opened the door for them. Inside it was just as gruby as she had expected it to be. The entirety of the pub was covered in a thin layer of dust and spider webs. Only candles lit the darkness, casting a soft glow on the faces of those who were in the bar that day. No one recognized Mr Enright, letting them pass through the pub portion and straight to a backroom with a brick wall.

"Alrighty then," Mr Enright drew in a breath and pulled a stick from out of his pocket. He tapped a specific pattern into the bricks and with a flourish of his wrist, the bricks peeled away slowly to reveal a bustling street full of strangely dress people. Tansy gawked in awe, still not accustomed to seeing magic. "Still got it! I usually use Floo Powder to get here."

"Tansy pick up your jaw, child," Miss Meldar instructed as they walked onto the road.

"What is this place?" Tansy inquired.

"Why this is Diagon Alley! A wizarding market, home to Gringotts Bank too. You'll be able to get all of your supplies and more here," Mr Enright assured her, drawing in a deep wistful breath. "Almost like yesterday I was here myself before getting sorted into Hufflepuff."

"Hufflepuff?"

"Yes, there are 4 houses are Hogwarts that you can be sorted into. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. All have their own benefits I suppose, but Hufflepuff is the best, obviously," he winked at her and then turned to Esta. "Where first?"

"We've got to get her some money. I was thinking about getting her a loan for school to pay for supplies…" Miss Meldar tittered nervously, her eyes wide as she was confronted by all the magic around her.

Tansy marveled at the moving store front signs, the people who were wearing brilliantly colored robes, the owls in cages, the strange treats put up in shops. She didn't know where to start or begin. What she did itch for were books. She wanted to learn everything she absolutely could before she went off to Hogwarts and began her studying. She needed to learn all the spells and be ahead of the other students.

Following the pair of adults, Tansy dragged herself along, try to absorb every little detail she passed. Her mind was simply overloaded and as much as she looked, there was no way she would be able to commit it all to memory. Eventually, they stopped in front of an extremely tall marble building, larger than any of the street shops by more than a hundred times. Great pillars reminded her of roman architecture she had seen in books. Upon entering, they passed through a small chamber into a great large one. Inscribed on one of the doors was,

 _'Enter, stranger, but take heed_  
 _Of what awaits the sin of greed_  
 _For those who take, but do not earn,_  
 _Must pay most dearly in their turn._  
 _So if you seek beneath our floors_  
 _A treasure that was never yours,_  
 _Thief, you have been warned, beware_  
 _Of finding more than treasure there.'_

Tansy had to jog to catch up with Mr Enright and Miss Meldar who were approaching the tall counters, where strange creatures sat with books and golden scales. Their noses were long, ears pointed, and their mouths full of sharp teeth. Balking, Tansy tucked herself close to Miss Meldar.

"What are they?" she whispered.

"Goblins, they run the bank," Miss Meldar told her shortly.

They waited their turn until a goblin called for them to approach. His voice was surprisingly shrill and when he summoned them, Miss Meldar had broken out into a cold sweat. She grabbed the collar of her dress and pulled.

"Woo a bit toasty in here, don't you think?" she asked Mr Enright.

"Business here?" the goblin asked grumpily.

"We need to take a loan out for Miss Tansy Belmont's school supplies," Mr Enright spoke in place of Esta whom had grown extremely pale.

The goblin pushed himself up so that he could look down at the lot of them. "Belmont?" he drawled, giving Tansy a once look over. "One moment please," he requested, hobbling down from his perch and disappearing for an extended amount of time.

"What do you think is wrong?" Miss Meldar questioned nervously.

"Maybe they're just preparing a loan for her? Getting the paperwork?" Coleman suggested.

Not one, but two goblins returned with a strange contraption.

"Hand please," the goblin they had first spoken with, requested, beckoning at Tansy.

Tansy glanced up at Miss Meldar, who nodded apprehensively, also uncertain of what was going on. Extending her hand, one goblin seized it with a clawed hand. Her hand was inserted into the gilded device and a sharp pain caused her to jerk back reflexively. Her index finger had a pinprick of blood collecting, as she sucked at her finger, the mechanism began spinning and clicking. Eventually, it opened like a cocoon and revealed a blood red brooch framed in gold.

"No loan will be required. This way please," the goblin told them, pulling the brooch from out of the puzzle box, and holding it out for Tansy to take. Accepting the token, she turned it over, wondering if every young witch had to pass some blood test before they allowed them to do anything.

Fortunately, she was not the only confused one, and the three followed the goblin to the passage ways.

"Here now, Grannaff will take you down to your vault Miss Belmont," the goblin told her, leaving them with a goblin awaiting the in a minecart.

Loading onto the cart, Grannaff started their voyage deep into the depths of the mines and vaults. The cart move awfully fast, threatening to make Miss Meldar ill as she clutched to her seat.

"Blimey, how far are we going? We've passed all the vault I've ever visited," Mr Enright commented.

"The Belmont Vault is among one of the highest guarded in Gringotts," Grannaff informed them.

"Does that mean my parents were wizards?" Tansy asked, but Grannaff did not bother to grace her with an answer.

Even at the rate they moved, it took them a good bit of time to get to the vault. The cart stopped in front of a platform where a brilliantly pink and purple bird stood perched in front of the vault. Grannaff raised his hand for them to wait, unlocking a small box with his finger nail. He pulled out enough pairs of earmuffs for each of them.

"Put these on your ears and do not remove them. The cry of a fwooper drives any that hear it, mad," the goblin warned.

Tansy glanced back over at the bird, it's big round eyes watching them carefully. She thought it was rather cute, but decided she'd not like to go mad just before going to Hogwarts. She secured them tightly and waited to Grannaff to put his own on and lead the way. Behind the fwooper was a stone door carved with intricate details, but the boldest of the details was a snarling wolf's head with a sword and crescent moon behind it.

Grannaff took his whole hand and placed it on the door, inner mechanisms ticking like a clock to unlock itself. Two great doors swung open, flames sputtering to life to illuminate a large chamber, neatly arranged, and filled with relics, golden coins, chalices, and gemstones. Tables had glass cases holding swords, daggers and an assortment of other weapons that Tansy doubted wizards had much use for. How did all of this belong to her?

Glancing back at Miss Meldar, she could see the astounded expression on her face. She was so close to a solution to all of the piling bills, the debt, and yet it was not hers to take. Tansy looked over at Mr Enright.

"How much should I take with me?" Tansy asked him, he had gone to Hogwarts, he should have had a better gist of prices.

Perplexed by the vault around them, Mr Enright glanced at Esta. "Do you have the list? I might be able to recall about how much things cost. You'd have to add a bit more for inflation as well."

Miss Meldar's jowls quivered before she knocked herself from out of her stupor. "I-" she began, fingers curling around the earmuffs at her neck. "Need some fresh air."

Leaving just Grannaff, Coleman, and Tansy in the vault, the lanky wizard went over to the shelves filled with various colored coins. They were so neatly arranged, scales waiting nearby as if they needed to be weighed.

"The bronze ones are Knuts, the silver, Sickles, and the golds are Galleons. There are 29 Knuts in a Sickle and 17 Sickles in a Galleon," Mr Enright explained to her, picking up each coin so that he could show her the little symbols on each.

"So... almost 500 Knuts in a Galleon?" Tansy calculated as she held up a golden Galleon. There were so many there, piles and piles of them, and yet Mr Enright seemed unaffected by it.

Coleman blinked, trying to match the numbers in his head. "Uh... I think so," he agreed, pulling out a small leather bag. "Borrow this until we can get you your own change purse. We'll take about 50 galleons with us, that should be more than enough. Your wand is what is going to cost the most money."

While Mr Enright delicately placed the coin in the pouch, under the watchful eye of Grannaff, Tansy walked down the long, spacious vault to inspect all the treasures. Her mind only filled with more questions. With how much there was here, her family must have been old and prestigious. But what did they do? Why did they need all these weapons?

Pausing in front of a case of jewelry, Tansy noticed a case filled with various rings, all of which had the same symbol on the door, carved out of silver. Opening the case, the picked out a rose gold ring that had the sigil carved into ivory, opal wolf eyes glinting at her. Despite being too large, she slid it onto her finger and admired the antique. She could hear that Mr Enright had finished counting the coins and was sealing the pouch. Tansy reached to pull the ring off her finger, but found that where the gold had once been loose, it had tightened to her finger and refused to slip off.

Panicked, Tansy frantically tryed to pry it off. Noticing her panic, Mr Enright approached to see what was going on.

"I can't get this ring off!" Tansy told him.

Taking her hand gently he glanced at the ring. "Doesn't seem like it's stuck..." he drawled, placing his fingers on it, beginning to pull. "Oh dear, it must be cursed."

"Cursed!?" Tansy shrieked, even more frightened than before.

"No need to fret," Grannaff drolled, butting in between them. His long, spindly fingers took her hand and he pulled out a small looking glass to inspect the item. "It is charmed, that much is true, but it will cause you no harm. All Belmonts wear their crested ring, it proves who they are to us without having to go through the blood trial. It is charmed to never be removed unless the finger is removed. Those who are not Belmonts are rejected by the rings and it will never properly fit."

"Well I'm glad I didn't pick an ugly one," Tansy grumbled as the goblin released her and she could inspect the details of the ring closely.

"Many peculiar things in here," Mr Enright commented, his eyes glinting as he spun around to absorb it all. "Well, when you're older you can really spend a whole day looking at all these things, but we've got some work to accomplish. Have to go get your school things!"

Tansy nodded in agreement, following Mr Enright back toward the front of the vault. She stopped in front of a cabinet full of precious gemstones, their faucets flickering in the light of the sconces. While Coleman had her back to him, she grabbed a handful of large stones and shoved them into her pocket, scurrying to catch back up with him. One little handful wouldn't be missed and it was hers anyways.

While Grannaff sealed the vault, Mr Enright approached Miss Meldar who was clammy and paler than when she gleaned the month's bills. "You alright Esta?"

"I'd like to get topside as soon as possible, if that's what you're asking," she grumbled, glancing back over her shoulder to see the vault shut. What light had remained in her eyes faded as the treasures and fortune was turned away from her.

Tansy felt a stab of sorrow again, slipping her hand into her pocket to feel the gemstones. Later, I'll do it later, she thought, putting her earmuffs back on so that they could return to the mine cart.

Once on Diagon Alley, Miss Meldar seemed to cheer up some, but not entirely. Tansy noticed that now all the bright colors, shops, and wizards gave her a rather wistful expression. Noticing a small parlour that had a few folks outside with ice cream, Tansy paused to point at it.

"Miss Meldar, can we please go to the ice cream shop? We haven't eaten anything today, I'll pay for everyone," Tansy requested politely, tugging on the woman's cardigan to garner her attention.

"Ice cream for breakfast..." Miss Meldar gave a disapproving glare in the girl's direction before contemplating her own hunger. "I suppose just this once... But don't tell the boys or else they'll be wanting ice cream for breakfast too!"

"Of course Miss Meldar, I won't tell them of anything today, I promise," Tansy pledged with a sly smile, twisting her fingers in front of her lips, pretending to throw away the key.

Disdain fleeing from her eyes, Miss Meldar calmed down for the first time since leaving Gringotts. It would seem they weren't the only lot who decided on ice cream for breakfast and waited in line until it was their turn. During the wee morning hours, the parlour served only breakfast flavors.

Tansy picked a maple waffle and mocha cone with some hot fudge. Coleman decided on coffee ice cream infused with blueberry muffin. Miss Meldar chose the most ridiculous of the trio, insisting on a pancake wedged with maple, strawberry, blueberry, and a plethora of candy toppings. The sugar definitely made Miss Meldar perk up and once they had finished they stopped at a shop labeled as Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

"So you need to get fitted for 3 plain black work robes and a winter cloak, we can get you hat, nametags and gloves here as well," Miss Meldar commented as she read the school list, ushering Tansy into the shop before her.

Miss Malkin was a stout, round little woman who wore a vibrant lavender dress that hugged her lumps and curves. Her silver hair was fastened up in a neat bun and she gave a bright smile toward those who jingled the bell as they entered.

"Another 1st year I see? Come here darling, we'll get your robes fitted," the jovial woman motioned for Tansy to set up to get measured. Around them were not only the robes used for school, but an assortment of other outfits for adults and older children.

Miss Meldar became distracted by some of the emerald robes, thumbing the fine silk between her pudgy fingers.

"Is there any specific type of robes you'd prefer? Self-ironing? Lint and fur resistant?" Madam Malkin asked, directing her question toward Tansy's guardian.

Standing up erect, Meldar spun around and nodded. "The top quality robes for my girl!" she demanded, raising a finger as if to object to simple and normal robes.

Tansy was going to point out that she'd probably outgrow her robes, but then again, she had really grown in the past 3 years. Maybe she was destined to be just a head taller than goblins. Another mother and child entered the shop, bell tinkling.

Miss Meldar drew her cardigan around her like a blanket, as if she were trying to hide her 'fine' leopard print dress. A girl with thick, shoulder length strawberry blonde hair and a sunkissed face looked expectantly at Madam Melkin. Tansy gleaned why Meldar had hid her dress once she glanced at what the girl's mother was wearing.

The woman was thin, tall, and wore an expensive coat dress. Her hair was rolled perfectly into curls, pinned away from a delicate freckled face. Coral lips pulled up in a kind smile as she ushered her daughter forward and then gave a smile in Meldar's direction.

Taking the empty spot beside Tansy, the girl patiently waited her turn for Madam Melkin.

"Are you a 1st year at Hogwarts too?" the girl asked, revealing a nice smile aside from the large gap in between her two front teeth.

Trying not to focus on it, Tansy nodded. "Yes I am. My name is Tansy, Tansy Belmont," she might have extended a hand if Madam Melkin had not been working on measuring her arms.

"Belmont... Sound familiar... Anyways, I'm Lyla Ibex. I've been waiting for this day for so long, my brother is a year ahead of me. I remember going to get his things, I was so jealous! But here I am now," Lyla introduced, smiling with her big gap teeth. "What about you?"

"I just found out about this all just yesterday," Tansy admitted to her own chagrin.

Lyla gave her a look of disdain almost. "Oh, you're muggle borne then?"

"No, I'm an orphan. Don't really know much about my family, but I think they're wizards. I had a vault waiting for me deep in Gringotts-"

"Deep in Gringotts? Only pureblood families have vaults deep in Gringotts," Lyla told her, perking back up at the mention of it. "Of course, my family has one too. A goblin has to use 3 claws to unlock our vault."

"Grannaff used his whole hand on mine and there was a fwooper guarding it too," Tansy countered innocently.

"Wow! A fwooper? Mum, this girl is a Belmont and it took a goblin's whole hand to unlock her vault!" Lyla called out.

The girl's mother gave Tansy a curious look before smiling again. "A Belmont? I hear they are an old pureblood family from Transylvania. You're going to Hogwarts?"

"Where else would I go?" Tansy inquired.

"I think most Belmonts went to Durmstrang," the woman informed her.

"Do you know anymore?" Tansy inquired eagerly.

"I'm afraid not. But I know there are a lot of histories in Hogwarts, you may be able to learn more once at school," Mrs Ibex told her kindly.

Madam Melkin finished up with Tansy and told her that the parcels would be ready to pick up in an hour. Once outside, they found Mr Enright had gone ahead and picked up a cauldron and set of brass scales.

"Why don't you go and pick up your wand next? Mr Enright and I will be at Flourish and Blotts getting together your books. Meet us there after and here..." Miss Meldar retrieved 10 galleons and pressed them in Tansy's hands. "Be careful with that and I want to see the change!"

Tansy flounced off in the direction of the wand shop she had first noticed when they got to Diagon Alley. On all of Diagon Alley, it was the only wand shop, and had two rounded display windows with peeling gold lettering reading 'Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.'. The displays had a single wand perched on a faded violet cushion, dusty and forgotten in the window.

Tansy nearly thought that the small shop was empty, but the door opened when she pushed it, the bell tinkling lightly. Inside was tiny, empty aside from a single chair in the corner. Thousands of boxes were neatly fit into the walls and everything was coated in a thin layer of dust. Spinning around, to soak in her surroundings, Tansy bumped into the desk and found there was now an old man who had materialized.

His hair was white, whispy and long, scalp visible beneath the tufts of thin hair. Despite it, he had a very kind expression and smiled at her.

"Hm, I don't think I've seen that sigil in quite some time," the elderly man commented as he gestured to her ring. "Your family didn't commonly come here, aside from their business at the bank."

"My family? Did you know them?"

"Of them yes, they did great things, but I did not know them personally. Another old family, much like my own," he gestured to the shop around them and smiled. "I am Mr Ollivander and you're here for a wand I presume? You look about the right age."

Tansy's chest puffed up in pride, pleased that he recognized her age. Often, people thought she was younger due to how slight she was. "Yes, my name is Tansy, sir."

"As a Belmont, you'll be needing a strong wand. Been getting a lot of shipments of exotic cores the past ten years, I might be able to find something more suited for a family such as yours," he commented, trailing into the dusty aisles to carefully select a box with wiggling fingers. "Aspen, 8", a bit sturdy with a dragon heartstring," he opened the box and handed her the wand.

Tansy held it, dumbfounded with what to do. Ollivander didn't give her a chance to do much.

"No not that one," he took it back and then went to select more. Ollivander went through ten more wands, Tansy becoming more and more distraught as he pulled out more and more boxes.

"Sir? What are we looking for?" she asked politely, trying to hide her discomfort.

"The wand chooses the witch, Miss Belmont. We'll know when I find it..." he turned down an isle that had less wands than the other. These boxes were dark in color and had less dust on them. "Hm, I was hoping to find you a wand with a more common core... but perhaps that's the problem."

Two boxes he selected, opening them carefully. "Now this one had been commissioned by a German wizard. He ended up not liking the feel of it and went for a more simpler match, thus I've held onto it for so long. Linden, 13 1/2", Inflexible, with a Thestral Tail Hair core. This wand is extremely temperamental..." Ollivander placed it back in the box and decided on the other one for now. "And this was one I crafted when werewolf hair and whiskers came into my possession. Larch, 11", study... Very loyal wand. Give it a try."

But when Tansy took it, she held it with little response.

Ollivander apprehensively replaced it in the box and held out the commissioned wand. A tingle shot up Tansy's arm and her hair whipped around her, a flower bloomed on her nose, a little daisy.

Reaching forward, Ollivander plucked it off and then cocked his head. "I've been holding this wand for a year now. I've tried it with some older students and wizards, for a Threstral wand will never bond with someone who does not know themself. Something very uncommon in a growing girl."

"What traits does the wood have?" Tansy asked, inspecting the intricate knots that formed the grip of the pale wand.

"German wizards prefer it. A very good wood for Defense Against the Dark arts... Just as the Thestral hair is. I warn you, never lose sight of yourself Miss Belmont or else your spellwork will suffer with this wand," Mr Ollivander warned her as he placed her slender wand back into the box and wrapped it up for her. The wand cost her nearly 10 galleons, seeing that Ollivander stated he was afraid he'd never sell it.

Parcel tucked under arm, she joined Mr Enright and Miss Meldar at Flourish and Blotts. Meldar had collected all of the books that she would need, but inclined to ask Tansy if there were any additional books she wanted to add to her reading list, as she expected Tansy to read every single book from cover to cover before school started.

Tansy searched and found a few other histories and beginning spellwork books that she could add to her repertoire. Beaming and proclaiming that 'her' Tansy was such a studious girl, they paid for the books and returned to pick up her robes. A quick stop was made at Obscurus Books to get the title 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' and afterward Scribbulus Writing Instruments. Again, Miss Meldar picked her supplies, deciding that only the most expensive would suit Tansy.

After selecting several various colors of ink, including black, navy, and forest green. Their last stop was the Magical Menagerie, filled with various pets in cages and other school supplies.

"I'll be right back," Mr Enright whistled before disappearing.

"Now I'll allow you to get a cat, but it has to stay up in the attic at all times. Mr Enright has agreed to charm the staircase so the boys can't go up there and bother you, but I expect you to take care of it and study hard!" Miss Meldar told her sternly, placing her hands on her hips.

Tansy's eyes widened. Despite being strict every so often, reminding her to use her manner, Miss Meldar had never been this kind. Tansy rounded to look around the menagerie, her brain frazzled, unable to decide where she should begin. Passing over to where the kittens where, Tansy took a long while, staring into the pen. All of them were absolutely adorable, a sign hanging on the pen mentioning something about the cats being half kneazle.

She found one that was particularly beautiful with molted orange and black fur. The long haired calico kitten glanced up at her, cocking her head, brilliant verdant eyes regarding her intelligently. Tansy bent over the pen and picked up the kitten, her fur sticking out in all directions. The little fur ball was puny despite her fur, much smaller than the rest of the kittens.

"This one," Tansy insisted.

"Oh, she's cute, but scrawny. Runt of the litter... Are you sure? And a half-kneazle, she'll be a handful," Miss Meldar warned, frowning at the kitten.

"Yes, she's perfect," Tansy told her, holding the kitten close. It was the fact that she was the runt that Tansy wanted her. She could empathize with the calico, her fur stuck out in all directions from the others bullying and toiling with her. When their eyes had met, there was a mutual understanding.

"Alright then, let's get the proper supplies and we'll go find Coleman," the woman said as they picked out a carrier and a few other school supplies.

With the wondrous day finally drawing to an end, they exited the Magical Menagerie with a new friend. They bumped into Mr Enright who was holding a carriage with an owl in it, speckled and tawny.

"An owl! Tansy is only allowed one pet as school and we just got her a cat!" Miss Meldar screeched.

"The owl isn't for Tansy, it's for you. I thought that it would be useful for you to write to Tansy and for you to write to me. I'm more likely to answer a letter by owl than an email," Mr Enright told her, his cheeks flushing as he scratched the back of his head in mild embarrassment.

"What? For me?" Miss Meldar's plump face also grew rosy, she fanned herself and grew all choked up. "I always wanted an owl... But I don't know where we can keep him."

"Miss Meldar?" Tansy tugged on her sleeve.

The woman shot her a sharp glance for interrupting the moment, but her mouth opened wide enough catch flies when she saw what the girl held in her hand.

"I took these from my vault. I thought... maybe you could turn it into muggle money before we leave. Then we could move somewhere nicer, perhaps in the country? And then the boys' school would be more affordable too..." she drawled, uncertain if the stones would be enough to move them out of Burnley.

Miss Meldar let out a cry, breaking down into uncontrollable sobs. She picked Tansy right up off her feet and held her tight to her bosom. So tightly that Tansy could only smell her sweat and cheap perfume. People were beginning to stare at the crying whale in the street.

"Tansy! Tansy! Tansy!" but her voice was so happy, despite the sobs that wracked her.


	3. Year One: CH 3 - Summer's End

**Hello everyone! Just an author's note for the beginning of this chapter. I'd like to thank everyone that has read this far and for everything that has reviewed, followed, or favorited this story. You all don't understand how much that means to those of us who write fanfics! I have a few questions to answer and figured I'd do it here.**

 ** _Q: When is the story set?_**

 **A: The story is set in the early 2000s, about 2004ish. I haven't picked a specific year yet, but it's some time after the Second Wizarding War.**

 ** _Q: Are you planning on bringing in the canons' children?_**

 **A: No, I do not plan on bringing any of the children in. The times wouldn't match up anyways, but this story is based solely on OCs. You will see canons in their respective positions, but their children are too young to be attending Hogwarts the same time Tansy is.**

 ** _Q: Do you plan on writing a book for every year?_**

 **A: I still haven't really decided, but one thing is for certain, the 1st year is going to be a complete book. If I receive enough feedback, perhaps I'll consider doing a book per year.**

 **Got anymore questions? Ask and I'll include them in the next chapter! Thank you again everyone, I appreciate ya'll.**

 **\- Fae**

* * *

Many questions arose when they had returned to the apartment. The boys wanted to know who the strange, knobbly man was and why Tansy had a kitten. Miss Meldar sent them squealing away with a shriek, brandishing her wooden spoon like a greatsword. As promised, the entrance to her room was charmed by Mr Enright, but the man stayed all night to look at new homes with Miss Meldar.

Up in her room, she could hear the boys pounding on the ceilings, trying to find out what was going on. Pumpkin, her kitten, was playing with a string she had attached to her foot as she read, hoping to keep the darling thing engaged while she started with her history book, hoping to glean more about her own family. As it turned out, the book had less to deal with specific families and more to do with witch hunts and goblin rebellions among other topics. Despite what many would have considered a droll topic, Tansy was ensnared in its thick pages, her mind racing faster than a hound as she envisioned the rich history. The book resembled that of a fairy tale and so it engaged Tansy for quite some time.

The rest of her supplies was locked away in a chest to be reopened when it was time for school. Miss Meldar stated she would allow Tansy to use her wand when she was reading her spell books, but not when the boys were home. Much to her own disappointment, Mr Enright had told her that she could not use any of the magic on the boys.

"It's against Wizard Law," he had told her, wagging his slender finger at her. "And you're a very polite girl, wouldn't want to be getting into trouble, now would we?"

For a week, Tansy spent her days up in her attic, enjoying the escape the books garnered her. When her mind became a bit frayed, she would take breaks to roll around with Pumpkin, who was actually growing quite well. The kitten was sharp witted and intelligent. Thus far, Tansy had taught her how to play fetch with some frayed string from a bad sock. On top of that, the kitten would mew and chatter, constantly conversing with Tansy, pawing over her books and gazing at the pages as if she too could read them. Tansy liked it best when Pumpkin would curl up on the small of her back while she read the books on her stomach, the tiny purrs warming her soul.

Then, Mr Enright returned, but with muggle movers. There little for Tansy to pack up and most of her things fit inside of her school trunk. To the surprise of all the boys, Miss Meldar explained that she had won the lottery while they were in London, but had wished to wait until everything had been arranged to reveal her luck. She had picked a cottage out in a town called Rye in East Sussex. And there was no doubt as to why she had chosen it, Mr Enright revealed that he also had a cottage out on the outskirts of the charming, floral village.

Despite the change in scenery and the upgrade in quality of life, the boys had not changed in the slightest. In fact, they trundled down the new cobbled roads of Rye, bragging about how their mother had won the lottery. While Tansy remained home, studying to her heart's content, the boys toiled in the at the piers and badgered the other youth in the town.

Miss Meldar kept Tansy on a strict regimen, allowing for Tansy to play in the garden once a day, eat her meals in solitude, and then return to her charmed room where she could sit in her window nook with Pumpkin. The peace she was awarded was enlightening and Tansy, for once in her eleven years, had began to grow fond of Miss Meldar.

No doubt about it, the woman was strict and sometimes prudent, but each decision she made, Tansy understood that it was for her benefit. Now, Miss Meldar kept the boys from bothering her with excuses and was keeping a sterner eye on them. In the past couple of weeks, Tansy had seen each of them get whapped more than she'd ever seen in the past year. Hobson had grown especially jaded since his mother began favoring Tansy and in the fleeting moments of passing and seconds that Esta was not in the room, he would shove her, pinch, and continue his path of destruction. However, once Miss Meldar had caught him in the act and she had gone so red in the face that Tansy likened her to a tomato. Later, Hobson was showing the welt he had on his rear from where he had been struck by the wooden spoon.

Mr Enright spent a lot of dinners over their house too and Tansy swore that Miss Meldar had lost at least 15 pounds. Her neck was more discernible from her chin and her hair, not having been bleached for over a month, was now more honey in color. The lack of pressure from bills had calmed the beast within Miss Meldar for now, her dreams of owning a house in the country fulfilled finally.

Miss Meldar named her owl Frodo, after a character in one of her favorite books, and would send little notes to Mr Enright while he was at work. He would come over for dinner and Miss Meldar would fuss over all the boys, making certain they washed before dinner and groomed themselves.

Happy, she was finally happy, in a life which had robbed her of so much. And the happy Miss Meldar made Tansy happy. But again, the boys were the ones who complained about how preppy the other children in town were, complained about not sleeping in the same room, or how there was nothing to do in town. They missed their grimy streets where they wouldn't be punished for pushing little Tom over in an alley so they could steal his pocket change his mum had given him or meet up with their other friends who were just as terrible as they were.

Again, Hobson complained the loudest about being transferred to another school, even though the tuition was thrice that of Hubble Grove. How was he to make new friends? He'd be in his second year, all of the other students would already be fast friends! And all this bitterness that welled up in Hobson reflected on those beneath him. Petyr was just as wound up as he was, squeaking about how boring Rye was and how he hated how the garden smelled. Gordon and Allie were a lot happier for the better quality food, clothes, and lodgings, but they couldn't tell Hobson that. They left Tansy alone, a small grace as if they believed her responsible for this blessing. Funny that that was quite the case.

School started earlier for the boys and Tansy got to see the lot dressed up in their ridiculous uniforms. Her robes for Hogwarts did not seem as strange as theirs. Black trousers, a back vest with a white button down, and a black dress coat with tailcoats. Tailcoats! Delight filled her, but she did not show it, knowing that Miss Meldar loved how fine they all appeared in their posh uniforms.

Miss Meldar's eyes filled with tears, holding a handkerchief in front of her, blowing into it unceremoniously.

"Never could I have imagined we'd be so fortunate!" she cried, placing a hand on Tansy's shoulder, a secret squeeze of gratitude. "Come now, Mr Enright is here to bring you all to school. Let's get going. Tansy, you'll be fine on your own, I assume?"

Tansy nodded, waving at the boys through the front bay window as they stuffed into the back seat, which was not large enough for the 4 boys. Petyr had to sit halfway on their laps. She spent the rest of the day out in the gardens, identifying flowers and then reciting if they could be used in potions and what for.

"Excuse me?" she nearly jumped out of her skin as she saw a pair of eye glance over the stone walls of their garden. The voice belonged to a boy with with messy chestnut brown hair that fluffed around his face and neck. "Did you just say 3 sprigs of Lavender in a Sleeping Draught?"

"No, I said four," Tansy corrected, watching as the boy held himself up on the stone wall. "Who are you?"

"Jasper Ironly, so I did hear right! Then at the end of the week, you'll be heading to King's Cross for the train to Hogwarts too?"

"You got accepted to Hogwarts? Is this whole town full of wizards?" Tansy asked in disbelief.

"Rather chocked full of them," Jasper admitted. "You sound like you've really been looking over your books. You just moved here right? A bunch of mean boys live here too, didn't know a girl lived here."

"Oh… Yeah, they've gone off to their school now, so it should be rather quiet for the rest of the week. I've been studying in my room with my cat all this time, have to make certain I'm ready. Have you done your studying?"

Jasper pulled himself up so that he was straddling the stone wall and shrugged. "I've looked at the books that interest me. That one by Newt Scamander and the spellbook… Honestly, I've been looking forward to Quidditch though. You know, just a handful of years ago, they started letting 1st years audition for the team?"

"Quidditch?" Tansy echoed, having recalled reading some of that in the history book. "I know it's a sport, but I'm not quite sure how the game works."

Jasper's face lit up, having a subject to teach about his favorite topic. "Really? It's only the best game in the entire world," the boy then launched into an elaborate description of how the game was played. From what he detailed, Tansy thought it sounded rather like soccer, but with more balls and on broomsticks. It must have been some game as Jasper grew louder and louder.

"Maybe I'll try out for the team too," Tansy considered, sitting in the grass as she and Jasper conversed.

"Have you ever flown before?" Jasper challenged.

"No, but we learn at school, don't we?"

"Not enough to be good enough for Quidditch. That's a skill that takes years of balancing and perfecting. But you can always try, might make a fool of yourself though," Jasper replied.

A frown appeared on Tansy's face, the mood having soured as Jasper challenged her skill. She had already learned a few spells in her bedroom and planned on completely another before they were sent off to school, but the boy's doubt miffed her.

I will be the best there can be and once I learn more about my family, I'll follow in the same tracks they did. Then we'll see who's a respected witch. I bet Jasper isn't even that good at flying, Tansy thought, glaring down at the grass, pulling some of it out of the soil.

"We'll see," is all Tansy eventually managed. Even if she was no good at flying, she still was leagues ahead of Jasper when it came to the studying department. She was hoping he would leave, end their conversation there, but Jasper moved onto another topic.

"What house are you hoping to be sorted in?" Jasper inquired innocently.

In her book of 'Hogwarts: A History', Tansy had read a lot about each house, including the founders and what they were best known for. Hufflepuff wasn't as nearly as great as Mr Enright had made it seem and she found herself glancing toward Ravenclaw. Considering herself studious, she thought the house would be a good place for someone of her intellect. They'd be honored to have someone who worked so hard over the summer to learn everything she could about her classes.

"Ravenclaw seems like it'd be a perfect fit for me," Tansy confided, quite certain of her decision.

"Interesting!" Jasper cracked, cocking his head at her. "Everyone I've asked said they wanted to get into Gryffindor because of Harry Potter."

The history books had filled Tansy in with a plethora of information on the war and Harry Potter. Yes, he had belonged to Gryffindor, as had genius Hermione Granger… but Luna Lovegood had been a Ravenclaw.

"Do you want to be in Gryffindor?" she asked him, arching one of her dark winged brows.

"Na, none of my family has ever been in Gryffindor. Slytherin has my name written all over it, but it stinks because the house has gotten a bad rap… 'Ain't a bad wizard that hadn't been in Slytherin' hurrr," Jasper screwed up his face and stuck his tongue out. "I hope that I can redeem the house, not everyone who was in Slytherin went bad, but everyone seems to forget about that."

"Good luck with that. A lot of erasing you have to do, not to mention the other Slytherins will have to help you," she pointed out, glancing into the sky. Tendrils of pink and amber had infected the blue, dusk was approaching and soon Miss Meldar would be home. Dinner had been left in the fridge for her to heat up, but she had lost track of time conversing with the boy.

"Why so doubtful?" he asked her.

Tansy stood up and dusted off her skirt. "Hoping for good things doesn't make them happen. Sometimes the world is cruel and you just have to deal with it," she told him.

"Ouch, speaking as if you know from experience. I see you live in a nice house."

"I'm an orphan and I don't know my family," Tansy replied sharply, straightening her shoulders. "I have to prove that despite it, I can be among the best. But I'm not hoping that, I know I can achieve it. All of this-" she motioned to the house, "-is not how I grew up. I don't need to tell you about it though."

"I can only imagine trying to live with those dogs," Jasper rolled his eyes and began sliding down his side of the wall as he noticed Tansy was prepared to end their conversation. "Well, I suppose I'll be seeing more of you."

"Likely," Tansy sniffed as Jasper disappeared behind the wall and she went through the rear french doors, back into the house. Removing her shoes, she neatly piled them before going to her room where she could lay down with Pumpkin. "Oh Pumpkin," she sighed, holding the kitten on her chest, lifting her slightly so that cat could stare upon her face. "Should I have tried to be nice? I can be nice to grownups, but not people my own age?"

* * *

Tansy didn't see Jasper for the rest of the week. Well, rather she had been avoiding him since their little exchange. Living with the four boys in the house had not only made her wary of boys, but other children in general. People were fickle and often saved their own skins. Tansy could read adults better and adults wouldn't treat her like an animal to be poked and prodded. Did she want friends? No sane person would say no, but they would have to go through long strides to prove themselves trustworthy. Her predisposition of caution would not earn her many friends, she judged at this point.

What could she do to make herself more approachable? Tansy tried a smile in the mirror, but sighed when she noticed that it was forced. Who was she fooling? When she picked up her wand to continue her spellwork a slight tingle nipped at her fingertips like little mouse bites. Throwing down her wand, she stared at her hand, turning over the Belmont ring.

It's uncommon for a growing girl to know herself so well, she could recall Ollivander's words and glanced back at the wand. She had doubted herself and the wand had warned her against trying to cast a spell at this point. Flopping onto her bed, she glared up at the ceiling. Tomorrow she would be getting on a train to Hogwarts and now she was busy questioning herself?

You're better than this. Get a good night's rest and tomorrow it truly begins. There is bound to be at least one other person who understands you, she reasoned, tucking her wand back into its box where it would be safe. Sensing that Tansy's emotions were conflicted, Pumpkin sauntered over to her once she had finished putting on a sleeping gown and curled up next to her.

Pumpkin licked the girl's hand, dragging the small sandpapery tongue along her pasty skin.

Miss Meldar woke her bright and early with a hearty English breakfast, Yorkshire puddings included. The woman was already chirping about getting to London on time, since they wouldn't be flying. Hogwarts Express left promptly at 11 o' clock and while they were considerably closer to London now, it would still take a little less than two hours to reach King's Cross.

Leaving by 8 and with every loaded into Mr Enright's flying car, they took the road the muggle way. In a manner much less exciting, Tansy placed her head against the window and stared up into the gloomy grey sky as it opened up, rain pittering down like tap shoes against the metal frame of the vehicle. While gazing out the window, she tuned out both of the adults who were conversing about mundane subjects.

In London, it was pouring drastically, and to help make the matter worse, there was absolutely nowhere to park. Pulling up alongside the station in a drop off area, Tansy rushed to get a cart for her chest and parcels. Even with her rain jacket and galoshes on, she felt sopping wet as the thin rubber fabric sucked at her skin like a leech.

"I can't stay parked here, that muggle cop is giving me a dirty look," Mr Enright commented from inside of the car as the last of her belongings were taken out of the trunk.

"Let me at least bring her inside!" Miss Meldar huffed, throwing a dirty glance in the direction of the police officer.

Inside the station they dripped on the cement, Miss Meldar giving her a once over before letting out a long, wistful sigh. Tightening her clear, rainproof bonet, the middle aged woman bent over and gave Tansy a big, wet kiss on her forehead. "Here's your train ticket, you best be going along. Remember, the platform is in between 9 and 10. I'll send Frodo with a letter and I expect you to write back! Now go before I lose my composure and good luck. I want updates on your marks and classes, else I'll make certain your winter break is one to rue."

Accepting her ticket for the train, Tansy offered Miss Meldar a hug in spite of herself, and went into the station to find the train. Mr Enright had mentioned to her that the platform was a bit tricky to get to and the muggle workers wouldn't know a thing about it. In between platforms 9 and 10 there was some sort of secret passage, like those she had read of in the Hogwarts book.

The station was thriving, muggles bustling around as they got into London for work. Tansy had never thought much of how different technology was from magic, seeing she had grown a muggle's life, but she'd never been fond of technology anyways. She never had a cellphone, Miss Meldar couldn't afford it until recently. The boys had always fought for the xbox and if she even dared to play it, they would pop up like groundhogs from the earth to wrestle it away from her. Books had always been her true friend, the boys stayed away from them like the plague.

Tansy and Pumpkin found platforms 9 and 10, but there was no platform in between. Recalling Mr Enright's narrow horse face, she frowned, and headed down the lane to try and find the secret passage. Her watery eyes scanned those that passed by and she spotted a pair of children following their parents down the lane. She noticed one had an owl and followed them.

"Oh look at all these muggles! Of course they always have to pick the time right when they're arriving for work in London. If not for your mother we could have been here earlier!" the father complained loudly to the two blonde children.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want the other parents to see me look a mess. You know I do pride myself on my fashion, I am the editor for Witch's Weekly, the woman's health and fashion section!" a beautiful woman snipped back. Her hair was so blonde it was almost white, pinned delicately so that a few curls framed her angular face.

"Lee don't ever marry a vain witch. See this here? That's what you get, takes hours to get ready and has a poor attitude," the father grumbled to his son.

The group stopped in front of a brick pillar some odd distance down the lane between platform 9 and 10. Turning around, the father noticed that Tansy had followed closely behind them.

"Oh! Hullo there," he greeted. The man was tall, lean, and dressed in very fine sports coat and trousers. She found that the style was rather old and not modern, almost as if he had stepped out a magazine from the 1920s. His hair was neatly groomed over to one side and he had a closely kept beard. "Are you looking for the platform? Where are your parents?"

"My guardian had to leave. No parking spots outside," Tansy told him.

"We can show you the way then. What's your name darling?" the mother turned and smiled, her teeth perfect little pearly squares.

"Tansy Belmont."

"It's Lee and Megan's first years too. Maybe you all can be friends," the woman said, clapping her hands together in delight.

"We're wasting time, honey," the man drawled before turning back to the pillar. "Now, what you've got to do Tansy, is run straight at this pillar. I'll show you first." The father of the twins ran straight toward the pillar. Tansy's heart leapt into her chest, expecting to see him cast some spell to reveal a passage, but instead he simply vanished once he made contact with the wall.

"Go ahead Tansy, we'll be right behind you!" the mother brushed her shoulder, motioning for her to go.

The man did it just fine. Mr Enright said there was a secret passage, she reminded herself, shaking away her nerves, pushing her cart, gaining speed like a train trying to get up a hill. Trusting the strangers, she didn't falter and when her senses screamed at her, expecting a crash, she found herself standing on Platform 9 and ¾.

"Good job!" the man said, also waiting by the train. "Let's wait for the others, then."

One by one they came through; first Lee, then Megan, and finally their mother. Following them to the undercarriage, the man helped load up everyone's chests.

"Thank you. I'm sorry, I didn't catch you name sir," Tansy said, shouldering her leather satchel that held her robes and a few miscellaneous supplies.

"Mr. Dean Rosewood," he stuck out his hand and vigorously shook Tansy's hand, so much that her shoulder felt jarred. "Best of luck to you."

Leaving the family to say their goodbyes, Tansy walk down the line with Pumpkin to inspect the train. Brilliantly painted in red and black, Hogwarts Express was a wondrous antique compared to the sleek trains back in King's Cross. Steam billowed down the track as the engine heated up, preparing for the voyage that was about to kick off. An opening to the train brought her to a conductor, who she gave her ticket to. He milled it up and let her onto the train.

Tansy found an empty cabin and put Pumpkin's case onto an empty seat. Dropping her satchel, Tansy stretched her hands up high, feeling her joints pop and crack. She let Pumpkin out of her case, the kitten just as stiff and pleased to have the room to move about. Now, it was really happening. All those weeks of studying built up until this moment and she was so close to finally getting to Hogwarts. She pinched herself to be certain that all of it hadn't been some elaborate dream and she wouldn't just wake back up in her attic in Burnley.

"We're almost there," Tansy told Pumpkin as the kitten rolled around on the seat, trying to catch her fluffy little tail.

"Excuse me. Your name is Tansy right? Can we sit with you?" materializing in the doorway were the Rosewood twins.

Lee and Megan were of the same height and taller than Tansy, which wasn't difficult to accomplish. Both had sandy golden blonde hair, stripes of ivory highlights flecking Megan's long, straight lockes. Lee's hair was groomed to the side like his father's.

"Sure," Tansy moved some of her belongings to make room for Megan to put her owl on one of the seats. The creature ruffled it speckled grey feathers and blinked round golden eyes before settling back down.

A silence fell between all of them as they awkwardly sat in their spots, the train screeching to indicate that it was leaving the station in a few minutes. Steam puffed up, obscuring the view out the window. Tansy took her beginning book of potions out, she found that memorizing everything out this book was among the most challenging. She kept re-reading the methods to prepare certain ingredients, hoping that she wouldn't look an idiot when it finally came to mixing.

"Trying to catch up before school starts?" Megan asked her, finally breaking the silence.

"I've already read the book once, but I just want to make sure that I know how to properly crush and blend everything. I'd hate to turn a Cure Boils potion into a Causes Boils. You know it only takes one ingredient being out of order to do that?" Tansy inquired, feeling her excitement bubble to the surface as she began talking about what she had learned.

"The porcupine quills right? If you add them too early it causes quite the opposite reaction," Lee responded, glancing up at the ceiling as he recalled what he had read.

"Yes! Crazy how something so slight as one item out of order can do that."

"Uhg," Megan groaned.

"Oh shut up, not my fault you didn't read all of your books. Dad told you that you'd be better off and obviously other students thought to do the same," Lee scolded, glancing over at his sister with disdain.

Sensing the shift in the mood, Tansy decided to change the subject. "What are you hoping to study, Megan? I mean, I can see Potions being a bit boring."

Megan unfolded her arms and the pout that had formed on her shell colored lips vanished, she brightened when the subject leaned in her favor. "I think charms will be fun, but I'm most excited for Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology. I absolutely love gardens, always had a green thumb. I've been trying to memorize 'One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi', but you know… One thousand is quite a lot."

"I agree, I really just tried to touch upon what herbs were used in potions. Other than that, I scanned through as much as I could, but there are so many!" Tansy sighed wistfully.

"What classes are you looking forward to?" Lee questioned.

"I think Defense Against the Dark Arts will be my favorite. I've already learned some spells while at home, but something inside me wants to know how to fight dark creatures and wizards," Tansy told him eagerly.

"Our father is an Auror! He hopes that we'll be just as good at Defense Against the Dark Arts," Megan replied.

Tansy could imagine Mr Rosewood as an Auror. He had a very clean and put together look about him. "What about your mother? She's a writer?"

"An editor," Megan corrected. "For a witch's paper about the latest fashion. As you could tell, she really keeps up with the latest trends. Of course, she makes sure that we are just as well dressed as she and father."

"Yeah, but some of the styles I don't really like. Remember those super tight robes that cinched the waist? Utterly dreadful," Lee shuddered, visibly quivering as he recalled the outfit.

"What about you? I recall you saying you had a guardian?" Megan broke in.

"I'm an orphan," the cabin got awfully quiet and Megan's cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "It's alright, it's not a sore subject for me. My foster mother is a Squib and I live over in Rye in East Sussex."

"Oh, Rye is nice, lot of wizards live over there," Lee piped, trying to pick the conversation back up.

"Just moved there recently. Didn't find out about magic until I got my acceptance letter. Felt right though and when I went to Gringotts, found out my family is some sort of prestigious house from Romania," Tansy's chest puffed up in pride as she showed them her ring.

"Wow! But you don't know what happened to your family?" Megan asked.

"Afraid not, but I'm hoping there are some books at Hogwarts or maybe even the professors will know more. Since my family is not from around here, any other wizards I've met merely recognized the name, but couldn't offer much more information," Tansy sighed, inspecting her own ring.

"Belmont…" Lee echoed, trying to see if he could dredge anything up from his memory. "Our mum is from Germany, maybe she knows a bit more. She went to Durmstrang."

Hogwart's Express lurched and each of them moved with the sway of the train. The last wail of the whistle indicated that the train was finally leaving. They all looked between each other, smiles unfolding on their faces. Conversation kicked back up and they began talking about Hogwarts.

"What house were you hoping to get into?" Lee asked Tansy.

"Ravenclaw seems like it'd best suit me," she admitted.

Nodding, Lee glanced at his twin. "I think I'd like Ravenclaw too, but dad is from Gryffindor. I want to be just as good as he is, but… I don't know, I've just heard that if you 'want' to get into Gryffindor, you do. And because of Harry Potter, loads of people have been going into Gryffindor. So many that they had to sort people into other houses, even if that house didn't suit them. And, Kevin told me that a lot of the Gryffindors are prideful and mean."

"Pride is a part of their house," Tansy pointed out. "But mean? Why?"

"Because they're in the same house as Harry Potter, the Weasleys, and Hermione Granger was in! Gryffindor has made all of the best witches and wizards in recent history and so it only makes sense that everyone would want to be in it," Megan retorted.

"And where do you want to go?" Tansy inquired.

"I don't care!" Megan shrugged, tossing her hair. "I just hope that I'm in the same house as Lee. Imagine it! A pair of twins and they aren't in the same house?"

Tansy snickered, "That would be strange."

The Belmont's fear of not finding other children she could relate to, quickly vanished. The Rosewood children were logical and had many of the same interests as she. Lee, specifically, was the more studious of the two. He had read the books just as much as Tansy and could drone on about what he had learned, holding a long and intellectual conversation with her. Megan seemed like a bright girl, but had only studied the books she thought were interesting. Passionate about what she liked, she raved about what she had read on dragons and nundu. Ending up on a the topic of Dittany, a rap on the door drew their attention.

An elder witch, in a purple robe, with a trolley full of treats opened the caboose door. "Anything off the trolley?" she asked.

Lee and Megan were already reaching into their pockets for some Knuts.

Miss Meldar had allowed Tansy some money for the cart, giving her a few Sickles to treat herself as a reward for everything she had learned during her studying. "What should I get?" she asked, unfamiliar with the wizard candy.

"The pumpkin pasties are really good. If you like collectables, I'd say get some Chocolate Frogs," Lee told her.

In the end, Tansy chose some jelly slugs, a licorice wand, and honey colored toffees. Lee bought a chocolate frog and pumpkin pasty and Megan decided on a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.

"I don't know why you got that hogwash, half of those aren't even edible," Lee commented, pulling open his chocolate frog box. Inside, he received a card with Harry Potter on ir. "Dad works under Harry Potter, said he's bloody brilliant," he commented as he turned the holographic card about to look at the picture.

"Oh! I almost thought you hadn't come," a voice piped from the open door. Standing in the frame was Lyla Ibex, the girl Tansy had met in the robe shop. Lyla barely paid heed to the Rosewoods, her eyes settling on only Tansy. "I've got a cart down the hall if you'd like to join me."

"Uh, I'm quite fine where I am," Tansy told her, eyes slipping over toward the twins.

"Ah, I just thought… it might be more… comfortable. Someone with a prestigious bloodline like you might like to meet others of the same caliber," she drawled, straightening the robes she had already put on.

"I'm not much different than someone who is muggle borne, I just only recently found out about all this," Tansy retorted sharply. "I think I'll stay here."

Lyla shrugged, trying not to appear ruffled by her declination. "Suit yourself," she flounced away, curls bobbing.

Megan stood up immediately and slammed the glass door shut. "Pompos little pixie!" she snarled. "Just like her mother, she is, just as rude."

Tansy recalled the pretty woman in the shop. "Her mother?" she echoed.

"Yes, given our mum all sorts of problems since she got the position as editor of Witch's Weekly. Says that a muggle borne witch shouldn't be the one making fashion decisions for a witch population. Thinks that she'll start making everyone dress more like muggles! Even wrote a letter to the printing company complaining about mum," Megan huffed, dumping her rump back into the leather seat.

"Mum cried all weekend when she heard about the letter," Lee sighed, glancing at the ground. "You'd think in the 21st century that all this blood prejudice would be over, especially since the Second Wizarding War. It's less common, but it's still there, just more subtle."

"Subtle? That wasn't quite subtle to me!" Tansy breathed, feeling her own temper flare.

"She didn't come out and say 'I'm pureblood and you half bloods are ruining it for everyone else', but that's what she meant. Wiped the smugness right off her face when you mentioned being similar to a muggle borne witch. But let's be real, Hermione Granger-Weasley was muggle borne and she's literally the most brilliant witch!" Lee shook his head. While he was not redfaced like his sibling, he was obviously just as ruffled.

"There's been a lot of change in the Ministry the past couple of decades and many are still pushing against it. Especially the pureblood families that sided with Potter in the Wizarding War. Lot of looser restrictions and people want to tighten them back up, bring a more traditional feel back. And it starts with alienating people in positions of power like our mum. I think Mrs Ibex probably hoped she would resign, but now father proofreads all the letters sent to her and burns those that are from Mrs Ibex or her housewife friends."

"She doesn't work?" Tansy remarked.

"No, why would she? The Ibex family has a lot of money. They export wand supplies from exotic places, lot of money in that. Mr Ibex works and Mrs Ibex goes shopping or hangs around with other witches just as bored as she is. Got nothing better to do than tear others down."

"Lyla seemed kind of annoying when I first met her and that… gap? I bet I could fit my wand in between it," Tansy joked, trying to change the subject and lighten the mood.

Both twins broke into a smile, Megan chortling, covering her mouth. "I bet you could," she snickered.

"We should probably change into our robes soon, it's getting dark out there," Lee commented, all eyes turning the the window.

Rolling hills had lolled by, verdant and warm. The rain had been left behind in London and the sun was setting into the country, stars beginning to dot the horizon. Lee stepped out to let the girls change and then traded places. All spiffed up in their black robes, they cleaned up the cabin and eagerly awaited their arrival at Hogwarts.


	4. Year One: CH 4 - The Sorting Hat

"First years! This way please!" a deep voice bellowed as the students filed out from the train. Older students went on their way and the first years clustered in front of a behemoth of a man. He was twice as tall as any man Tansy had seen and thrice as wide with a wild beard of black bramble and hair to match it. Twinkling coal black eyes smiled down at them, his lips hiding beneath his beard. Holding up an oil lamp he motioned for all of them to follow once everyone had gathered around.

Trailing down a path, they found an enormous lake with boats waiting for them. Stars winked against the flat surface of the lake and Hogwarts was reflected against the flat mirror of the water. Students gasped at the castle, perched on a craggy outcropping that overlooked the lake. Hogwarts was made up of many terraces, parapits, and spires. The books that Tansy had read did the school little glory as she stared, open mouthed, at the gorgeous castle.

"Hurry along then, 4 to a boat," the giant man cried.

Tansy and the twins ended up being an odd boat with only three. The large wizard consumed an entire boat on his own and with a tap of his umbrella, the boats began rowing themselves across the surface of the lake. The one placid water rippled, disturbing the stars and the light of Hogwarts, but none of the students were looking at the lake. Each of their tiny heads craned up to gape at the school, which grew larger and larger as they approached.

How they were expected to find their classes in the castle was beyond Tansy. Even the maps she read seemed as if they'd be little use.

Streaming across the lake, they approached the cliffside and Hogwarts disappeared above them. Ivy tendrils created a thick blanket over the walls and the boats steered through the ivy to reveal a small sandy shore hidden within the cliffs. Each boat pulled up to the shore and the first years unloaded, piling up behind the burly man. Up they went, following a staircase that led to the entrance of Hogwarts. This close to the building, it was daunting, the ceilings high enough that Miss Meldar's new house could fit inside of the hallway!

They were deposited in a chamber, waiting for directions. Soon, they would be sorted into their houses and students began chatting in low voices about how that was accomplished.

"You think we're going to have to show how much we know? Or just say what house we want?" Lee asked nervously, fingers tapping against his leg.

"Then everyone would be in Gryffindor! I don't know, maybe you have to cast a spell and the more difficult the spell, the better the house? I'm not quite sure, dad wouldn't tell us," Megan frowned, slapping her brother's hand as she tried to make him stop twitching.

A shrill scream behind made all the children round. Flying right over their heads were a handful of silvery spectres. With the scream, they finally glanced down at the collection of students, some smiling and continuing on their way and others pausing to greet them.

"First years, it would seem," one of them commented, floating down. "Good luck in your sorting. I hope many of you will join me in Gryffindor!" he bowed and when he did, his head became loose. Disgusted cries and gags filled the chamber as the ghost leaned back up, setting his head back in place. "My apologies."

Once the ghosts went through the door, a man appeared in a set of brown and black robes. He smiled, albeit anxiously, at the students, straightening his tie and clearing his throat quietly.

"I am Professor Longbottom. All of you are about to enter the Great Hall where you will be sorted into your respective houses. Please remain quiet, as it will make getting through the sorting much quicker. This way please," the professor opened the two grand doors and beckoned for them to follow.

Four long tables were set in the hall, all of the other students were already sitting with their houses. At the far back, the professors all sat at a table, seated slightly higher than the other four. Above them, hundreds of candles floated, illuminating the hall. The ceiling itself appeared to have vanished! In its place was a starry sky, the moon glowering at the new students. In front of the teachers' table, there was a stool and a beat up leather cap. The hat had patches and was hunched over, well worn and used. When Professor Longbottom approached, the hat bobbed to life. A face was suddenly visible in the leather and he burst out into song when the first years collected in front of him.

" _Oh you may not think I'm pretty,_  
 _But don't judge on what you see,_  
 _I'll eat myself if you can find_  
 _A smarter hat than me._

 _You can keep your bowlers black,_  
 _Your top hats sleek and tall,_  
 _For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_  
 _And I can cap them all._

 _There's nothing hidden in your head_  
 _The Sorting Hat can't see,_  
 _So try me on and I will tell you_  
 _Where you ought to be._

 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_  
 _Where dwell the brave at heart,_  
 _Their daring, nerve, and bravery_  
 _Set Gryffindors apart;_

 _You might belong in Hufflepuff,_  
 _Where they are just and loyal,_  
 _Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_  
 _And unafraid of toil;_

 _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_  
 _if you've a ready mind,_  
 _Where those of wit and learning,_  
 _Will always find their kind;_

 _Or perhaps in Slytherin_  
 _You'll make your real friends,_  
 _Those cunning folks use any means_  
 _To achieve their ends._

 _So put me on! Don't be afraid!_  
 _And don't get in a flap!_  
 _You're in safe hands (though I have none)_  
 _For I'm a Thinking Cap!_ "

The hall broke out into applause after the hat finished. Taking several bows, the hat then became rather still again. Professor Longbottom stepped up next to the stool and unfurled a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, step up, and you will be sorted into your house," he explained, clearing his throat again. "Gene Appletree?"

A boy with black hair and brown eyes stepped up, glancing at everyone behind him, as he sat up on the stool. Professor Longbottom placed the Sorting Hat atop his head. A moment later the hat cried, "Hufflepuff!"

Just a hat? That didn't sound too bad. Their imaginings of having to conjure spells, recite potions or herbs, vanishing.

"Leslie Ambarella?"

Leslie was a thin, narrow girl with bright red hair. "Hufflepuff!" the hat only took a few seconds to decide that.

Each time a student was selected for a house, the said table would break out into clapping and cheers. Only a handful of people were called before Tansy, seeing that her name was at the beginning of the alphabet.

"Tansy Belmont?" he called.

Tansy felt a tap on her shoulder by the twins and went forward to be sorted. Confident that she'd be placed in Ravenclaw, she took her seat. Hat lowered onto her head, she felt it moving and contemplating.

 _A great mind, you want to accomplish great things I see… Very ambitious, very, very ambitious. Haven't seen a Belmont at Hogwarts before, but with the history in your lineage… "_ Slytherin!"

Tansy's heart dropped to her feet and the smirk was wiped clean off of her face. She hopped down from the seat, a ringing bright and loud in her ears as she joined the clapping table. Why Slytherin? Was she not smart enough for Ravenclaw? She tried not to look disappointed and turned her attention to the others being sorted into their houses.

Gideon Bulb went into Gryffindor. Blaze Cygnet into Hufflepuff. Heather Dray Ravenclaw, Ramsay Cavallero Slytherin, Sable Foxglove Gryffindor.

The first that Tansy recognized was Lyla Ibex, smiling broadly as the Sorting Hat was dropped on her head. "Gryffindor!" the hat cried, yet another to their ranks. Tansy had noticed thus far that Gryffindor and Hufflepuff had gained the most members, however they were barely halfway through the first years.

Jasper Ironly followed after her and Tansy could feel herself groaning. Ramsay glanced over at her and then back up at the boy. "You know him?" he whispered, receiving a mute nod from Tansy.

The brunette boy looked confident as he sat up on the stool. But when the hat announced, "Gryffindor!" it was Tansy who was grinning. Jasper sauntered down and dragged himself to the house he hadn't wanted to be a part of. Taking a seat beside Lyla, he glumly glanced over at the Slytherin table.

A while passed until they finally reached the Rosewoods. At that point, a handful of other Slytherins had joined them; Bennie Larch, Robin Persimmon, Nova Newtly, Corey Kilpatrick, Reed Mallister, and Delta Mandrake. Lee was called up first and the hat took a long time choosing with him. He hadn't truly wanted to be in Gryffindor or else the hat would have chosen sooner. Making several faces, the Sorting Hat eventually announced, "Ravenclaw!"

The blood drained from Tansy's face as she watched Lee sit at his own table, disappointment washing over her. Why hadn't she been put in Ravenclaw? It was where she belonged, that Sorting Hat didn't know anything!

Megan followed him and shared the same fate, the twins joining the table filled with students in blue accented robes. She could see their expressions, sharing the same dismay that she had felt. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, maybe they would have some classes together. After all, it was just a house and she'd read that people were friends with those in other houses. Luna Lovegood had been friends with Harry Potter and they were in different houses!

The last of the students were sorted and two more joined the ranks of Slytherin; Basil Silverthorn and Reese Wolfhein.

Before the tables could get too rowdy, a severe looking woman stood up and clapped her hands together once. She was dressed in gorgeous emerald robes that shimmered with each slight movement. Looking down her spectacles she opened her mouth to speak.

"Before we begin the feast, I would like to say a few words. I am your headmistress, McGonagall, and I welcome you all to Hogwarts, new or returning. Now, without further delay: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" a few of the professors behind her smiled wistfully, recalling some distant memory from years ago. When the students looked back at their tables, there were dozens of exclamations of delight and surprise.

The tables had filled with food! Tansy could see roast duck, roast chicken, an entire roast pig with an apple in its mouth! There were roasted potatoes, chips, mashed potatoes, green beans, baked beans, sweet rolls, cranberry sauce, honest glazed carrots, steamed cabbage, gravy, and Yorkshire puddings. Tansy grabbed hold of some patridge and lamb shank, pouring a thick demiglaze over the shank. A pile of garlic mash was loaded beside it along with seasoned cabbage. The first bite put her in heaven and cheered her up considerably.

Miss Meldar knew how to cook, but she used too much oil, and nowhere as much seasoning as the food at Hogwarts. A pitcher of pumpkin juice was passed to her and she filled her goblet to the top. She overheard Nova asking about the professors and who was who.

"From left to right, you've got Trelawny, Divination, Madam Pomprey who heads the hospital wing, Madam Hooch, who teaches flying and referees the Quidditch games, Hagrid, who is the game and groundskeeper as well as the Care of Magical Creatures teacher. Professor Flitwick teaches charms, Slughorn does Potions, Professor Sinistra is Astronomy, Professor Vector does the dreaded subject of Arithmancy, Longbottom teaches Herbology, Professor Cogs teaches Transfiguration, and lastly we've got Professor Otters who teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts," a 2nd year boy by the name of Hawthorn told them. "A few professors aren't there like the ghost, Professor Binns who teaches History and Lyptus who does Muggle Studies."

The boy beside her gave her a smile when she glanced up at him. "You've been rather quiet," he remarked, a shiny badge on his chest with a 'P' marking it.

Tansy rolled her shoulders in a lazy shrug and took another bite of her lamb.

"What are you looking forward to?" he continued, trying to get her to talk.

Swallowing the food in her mouth, she followed up with a careful dab with a napkin. "Spellwork and Defense Against the Dark Arts," she told him. "What does that badge mean?" she asked him, motioning to it.

"I'm the Slytherin Prefect. Any questions, you have you can ask me."

"Do we have classes with the other houses?" she inquired immediately.

"It rotates, but yes, you'll have classes with the other houses," the prefect informed her. "Did you look over your books before you got here?"

"Read through all of them and then started analyzing a couple. I bought a few other books too," she told him, her chest puffing up with pride.

"Good! Maybe you can earn us some house points. Gryffindor has been smoking us for the past few years and if not them, then it's Hufflepuff. Only thing we've got going for us is the Quidditch Cup," he sighed, taking a deep drink from his goblet.

"Does the team need any new players this year?" she requested eagerly.

"Not that I'm aware of," he gave her a once over. "Though you're quite small, might make a good Seeker."

"Maybe… someone could give me extra lessons. I'm afraid I might not be learned enough on a broom, regardless of the classes we'll be taking."

"I'm not on the team, myself, but I can put in a word with the captain, Rogers. She's always looking for ambitious players and I see a spark in you," the prefect gave her a sly grin.

Dessert came after and was just as overwhelming as the dinner; pumpkin pasties, lemon treacle, tiramisu, chocolate pudding, cauldron cakes, fresh fruit, and cheesecake. Tansy felt engorged when McGonagall stood up again to address them all.

"Before I send you all to your dormitories, I have a few announcements I'd like to make. First and foremost, the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students, especially first years. Second curfew for older students has been reduced to 8pm rather than 10. There will be a professor checking in with each house to make certain for accountability. Lastly, I want a clean year this year, there were a lot of issues last year. Twice the amount of points shall be deducted if any professors finds students bullying one another."

"Unlikely," someone at the Slytherin table muttered beneath their breath.

"Prefects, take control of your houses," McGonagall declared.

Rising beside her, the prefect called for all of the first years to follow him. Tansy ended up being right on his heels as they entered the halls of Hogwarts. The cavernous halls were filled with moving pictures, the inhabitants of each picture sometimes moving to join another, muttering about the new students. What seemed to be hundreds of staircases rose above them, moving on their own accord. Instead of going up, they trailed down and down into cold dungeon halls. Rounding a corner, the prefect stopped them in front of a gargoyle whose tail was broken.

"Jabberwocky yarrow," the prefect told it and its stone eyes glinted a cold emerald before revealing passage.

Down some more stairs, they stepped into the Slytherin common room. The room was dark and grand, filled with forest green furniture. The walls were made of rough stone and large, glass windows starred into unknown inky depths. Few candles lit the common room, but there tapestries of ancient Slytherins, tables and many chairs in the grand, large common room. Greenish lamps cast a ghoulish light down on some of the upperclassmen who had taken up by the fireplace that hosted an elaborately carved mantle.

"The girls' dorms are this way and on the opposite side of the common room, the boys' dorms," the prefect pointed in the general directions. "School begins promptly tomorrow, so I suggest you get a good night's rest."

The first years didn't need much more prodding than that. With full bellies and having been up all day, they went off to her respective rooms to find that their belongings had been delivered and new Slytherin accent attire was waiting for them.

Pumpkin had also been brought to her room, lying on a bed, only lifting her head to greet Tansy and several unfamiliar faces. Flopping down in bed, she curled up with her cat, and sighed. None of the other girls were in the mood to talk and so she resigned herself sleeping.

* * *

Mist licked at her toes, dew clinging to her skin as she padded through the forest. Their boroughs were barren, the light of the full moon lighting the path she walked. Tree roots snaked around, creating obstacles barely visible by the fog that thickened with each moment. A howl pierced the air and a figured darted between the dark trunks. Spinning around, Tansy saw nothing but shadows move.

Silence echoed louder than words and even her soft breathing was like the crashing of waves against cliffs. With nowhere to go but forward, she continued. Reflexively, she reached for a wand, but instead found that she had a dagger. Glinting madly in the moonlight, she stared at the reflection, movement behind her turning her round again.

Lying on the ground, in the distance, was a white horse. Cautiously approaching, she noticed that it wasn't moving. When she grew close enough, she saw that a thick silvery substance was oozing from thick gashes in the creature's flank. Her heart ached when she saw the broken horn of the unicorn, lightly grazing her fingers over the ragged wound. What could have done this? What _would_ have done this?

Senses tingling, Tansy rounded, dagger flashing in the light. Something else was there, something sinister, she could feel it in her bones.

"Reveal yourself!" she shouted, but not in her own voice. The voice was deep, masculine, and when she glance at the dagger again, she saw not her face in the reflection, but a man.

A shifting spectre materialized, floating slightly above the ground in a ragged black cloak. Long, ghoulish fingers extended outward and another hand pulled out a blindingly white ethereal sword from underneath the folds of the fabric. While no mouth was visible, a wail shrill and high pitched, pierced her ears.

"Blasted wraiths. Should have known it. I suppose you're to thank for the unicorn culling," she spoke again in the man's voice. "Time to meet your maker. _Incendio!"_ A wand had appeared in her other hand, a plethora of flames spurting from its end in the direction of the creature. The wraith was consumed in flames, screeching to hell as it flailed around.

"More of them?" she breathed, turning around to see that she and the dead unicorn were surrounded by a handful of the wraiths. "This could be a problem…" leveling her wand, she filled her head with the warmest thoughts. Her mind flashed to the manse, the children running through the gardens, the smile of her… " _Expecto Patronum!"_


	5. Year One: CH 5 - First Day

Tansy awoke in the morning, Pumpkin curled up by her neck. The white light from her dreams faded and she wondered what she had saw. A few girls had already prepared themselves for the day. One muggle borne witch had brought a hair curler with her and was astounded when she could not find an outlet to plug it in.

"What am I going to do?" she whined, tossing it back on her bed.

Tansy, who was slipping on her socks and shoes, when she glanced over at her. She had thick, auburn hair, wafting down in a thick sheet. No wonder she had wanted to curl it, when straight it was so heavy and unflattering. "Perhaps you could put it in rollers tonight or tiny braids?" she suggested.

"That won't help me now!" she snapped.

Tansy hid a wry expression and shouldered her satchel bag. She kissed Pumpkin on the head and before she exited, "A bun would suit you nicely too," she told the girl, heading down into the common room. Last night, no one had been talkative and compounded with the strange dream, Tansy intended to find her first class on her own after breakfast.

Down in the Great Hall, not knowing anyone in her house, she was about to pick an empty spot at the table when the Slytherin prefect waved her over. Sitting with him and two other upperclassmen, she wondered why she had been summoned. Not one for large breakfasts, Tansy only chose a muffin and some bacon.

"Belmont, this is the Quidditch Captain Rogers and their Keeper Amaral," Adrian, the prefect, introduced. "I put in a good word with them and they wanted to know if you'd meet them on the pitch tonight?"

In front of her, the captain was a horse faced girl with yellow hair. The keeper was a thick young man with ebony skin and a short, tightly curly mohawk. "Is that allowed?" she asked, unable to hide her excitement.

"We'll double check with Slughorn and Madam Hooch, but it should be fine," Rogers shrugged. "Why do you want to join the team?" she inquired.

"I want to be great at everything," Tansy replied simply and seriously.

The three upperclassmen broke out into laughter. "Oh come now, you can't be good at everything. No one can. Everyone has their weaknesses," Amaral told her.

Poking at her bacon, Tansy shrugged, dismayed by their laughter. "We'll see," she muttered.

"Either way, we need more ambitious people like you and even if your skills don't match up for the team this year, maybe we can have you on next. Not many first years get on the team, but you'll have a head start of all the others by working with us," Rogers said, smiling at her kindly.

Tansy nodded, putting her head down so she could gobble up the rest of her breakfast. A bitterness welled within her that they hadn't taken her seriously, but she'd just have to show them. With classes beginning today, she'd start on the path to knowledge and skill. Then she'd try her hand at flying and when she attended Flying class later in the week, she'd already be ahead of everyone else. The thought alone put a satisfied smirk on her lips.

"Thank you, what time would you like to meet at the pitch?" she asked them.

"I'd say 4pm would work, while it's still a bit light out," Amaral said, glancing over at Rogers for approval.

"Very well, I'll see you then. I've got to go search for my first class. Thanks again," she bid politely before excusing herself.

Charms was the first class on the list and she was ever so eager. Tansy had already taught herself a good handful of spells, including the light spell, Lumos, and the levitation spell, Wingardium Leviosa. She doubted that the first day would begin with attempting the charm, but the fact that she already knew how to cast it certainly took the edge off her nerves.

Tansy found the classroom and was still quite early. Picking a seat up front, she unpacked her things and pulled out her parchment, delighted for it all to begin. She soon discovered that Charms was shared with Gryffindor, much to her dismay. And to make matters even worse, stupid Jasper Ironly decided to sit right next to her.

"Knew I'd be seeing more of you!" he grinned, glancing at the objects neatly arranged in front of her. "Ooh, that's a nice quill. Got a metal nub and everything."

When Tansy didn't say anything, he continued, "So Slytherin, eh? I thought you were certain you were going to get into Ravenclaw."

Releasing the pent up sigh from her nostrils, she rearranged her parchment and then finally gave him a scathing look. "Bit of a shock, but what's done is done. The hat must have known what it was doing. What about you?"

Jasper groaned. "I'd trade with you in a flash! Really! My parents are going to be so pissed when they find out where I got sorted. Wanna trade robes?"

"I think I'll stay in Slytherin… unless you like to wear skirts," she grunted, their conversation coming to a close as the professor entered the classroom. He made his way over to a stack of books, clambering to the top so that he could stand high and above everyone else. He had a cherub's face with a thick brown mustache and hair neatly divided and combed in the middle. Tiny golden glasses winked in the light, his dark eyes smiling just as wide as his lips as he inspected his new students.

"Good morning students! Glad to see you all here bright and early!" Professor Flitwick began, his voice squeaking. He unfurled a roll of parchment and began the roll call. Once concluded, Flitwick outlined the course material and what would be covered in the weeks to come. He had only began working on the history of the lighting spell when the class came to an abrupt end.

Tansy decided that she rather liked how chipper and cheerful Flitwick was and would be happy to prove herself in front of him. While packing up her belongings, she felt a damp chill against the nape of her neck that trickled down her spine. When she reached reflexively, her fingers came back wet. Glancing up at the tier of desks above her, she noticed that Lyla was gazing down at her.

Lyla's fingers were curled around a water bottle, securing the cap tightly, as she looked upon Tansy with feigned shock. "Oh, I'm sorry. Cap wasn't on proper and I knocked it over," she lied, sliding it into her bag.

"It's fine," Tansy grumbled, shoving away the rest of her stuff so that she could depart swiftly for her next class.

Next was Herbology, which to her delight, was in a double block with Ravenclaw. She found the twins already in their smocks, waiting for Professor Longbottom to arrive.

"Tansy!" Megan cried ecstatically.

"How was your first class?" Lee interrogated. "We had Transfiguration, which seems challenging, but I'm really excited to try and turn objects into other… things."

" _Seems_ like it's going to be real technical," Megan grumbled, folding her arms. "But we're here now and we've got double with you!"

"I had Charms. Professor Flitwick is really nice and we've got a lot of spells we're going to learn this year. However, we didn't talk about this one spell. I had a dream and-" Tansy trailed off when Professor Longbottom entered, giving him her undivided attention. The twins straightened beside her as all the students marveled at him, the one who brandished the sword of Godric Gryffindor in the Battle of Hogwarts.

But Professor Longbottom was a slightly goofy and pure mannered chap, if not a little clumsy too. He dropped the roll call parchment into a pile of dirt, cheeks turning red as he stammered out the next few names. Instead of sitting at desks and writing notes, they began with preparing a proper compost for magical plants. Professor Longbottom believed that a good foundation started with the ground and in turn, the soil.

With their dragonhide gloves on, the students turned and mixed piles of imported dragon dung, mooncalf dung, and compost from the Great Hall that was to be recycled here. The concoction smelled absolutely foul and many of the girls were whimpering about getting dirty for the rest of the day's classes. Tansy was also not one for being dirty, but she found the mundane task of mixing and listening to Longbottom explain the qualities of both dungs and their benefits not too boring. They were told their next lesson would be held back in the classroom, but he had wanted to give them a strong beginning to work with.

Tansy and the twins went to lunch together after being released.

"What were you saying before class, Tansy?" Lee asked.

"Oh yes, I had a very strange dream last night. I was in a forest, but I wasn't me, I was some man fighting wraiths. And he used two spells that I want to researched. One was the fire-making charm, which I've already done my fair research on over the summer, but the other…" her mind slipped back to the blanket of warmth he had used to repel the evil creatures, a wolf of light galloping around him. "The words were ' _Expecto Patronum'_ , but I haven't the slightest clue what kind of spell it is. I believe I may find more answers in Defense Against the Dark Arts, but nothing in our books even mention wraiths."

"Wraiths," Lee echoed, tapping a finger rapidly against his lip. "Maybe the library will have more about them. And I suppose you can always ask Professor Otters about it after class. Do you have Defense Against the Dark Arts today?"

"Last period, I believe I have Potions right after lunch," she pulled out her schedule to make certain and while walking and looking down, someone bumped her shoulder and sent her schedule, along with the other pieces of parchment in the folder, flying.

"Walk a little faster would you?" a thick girl with copper pigtails and a moon shaped face snapped.

Tansy bent over to collect her things, Megan huddling down with her. "There was no one beside us, she could have just went round," the blonde hissed.

"I know why," Lee said, having stopped with them, but stared at the girl as she disappeared. "She's with Lyla."

 _Again?_ Tansy thought irritably. Not once, but twice Lyla had crossed her, using her companion to scatter her belongings on the ground. "If she wants to be that petty, let her. I've got better things to worry about and it shows how immature she is when she does these things," Tansy puffed, arranging the papers neatly, and tucking them away.

"Things? She's already done this more than once?" Megan asked incredulously.

"Poured some water down my neck at the end of Charms this morning. No harm done, I'll just deal with it," Tansy told them through clenched teeth. For three years she had put up with four boys poking, pinching, and prodding her. She could deal with a bratty girl who thought herself better than everyone else. Anyways, neither of the acts had assaulted her yet and until then, Tansy would not give her the satisfaction of losing her temper.

"You keep ignoring her and they won't be as harmless as water down your neck," Lee warned her uncertainly.

"I grew up in the foster care system and I've dealt with worse," she shrugged, putting it all behind her. "Let's go get some food."

Tansy, wondering if she could find anything in her Defense Against the Dark Arts book, had it open beside her as she joined the twins at the Ravenclaw table. Due to the fact that all students ate at different times, there was more than enough room for her to sit with her friends during the informal meal. In fact, other students had done quite the same. A Hufflepuff was also at the Ravenclaw table sitting with some of her friends and at the Hufflepuff table, a Slytherin pair was enjoying their food as well.

"We should hit the library after classes if you're free. Might have more luck there trying to find out about that spell," Lee suggested, taking a bite of his corn beef sandwich.

"I've got flying practice on the pitch tonight. Maybe after dinner?" Tansy requested.

"You're going flying tonight?" Megan gasped in excitement.

"Yes, my prefect put in a good word for me and they're going to teach me how to properly use a broom. I really want to be on the team," she elaborated, but then wondered how she would have time to do everything. Eventually, she'd come across new topics that she'd have to devote her spare time to study and if she was at Quidditch practice… "But we'll see. Who knows, I could be absolute hogwash at flying."

"I bet you'll take to it rather quickly," Lee told her immediately.

"I've never touched a broom before."

"Could be in your blood. You don't know that," Megan reminded her. "Speaking of which, have you asked any professors yet if they knew more about your family?"

Dwelling on her dream and the spell used in it, she had forgotten to inquire about her lineage. "No, I'm afraid not. I think if anyone would know, it would be McGonagall, but I don't want to bother her. She's probably very busy as the Headmistress," not to mention scary looking. The woman had a look that could set even the wildest child straight. If Hobson ever met her, he'd become the angel that Miss Meldar wanted him to be; Tansy would put money on it.

"We can try the library first for that too," Lee agreed swiftly.

"What? Are you afraid of McGonagall?" Megan teased.

"Afraid of McGonagall?" a voice inquired behind them.

The three children froze at the sound of the professor's voice. Professor Otters was staring down at them with a cheerful expression on her face. Her accent was sweet and lilting, French by the sound of it. Her tawny hair was tied back in a high ponytail and she appeared to be of a similar age as the twins' parents.

When none of them spoke up, Otters chuckled at them. "And you ought to be, Professor McGonagall is a force to be reckoned with. Might turn you into frogs if you cross her. You know, she used to be the transfiguration professor here."

Professor Otters gracefully swept herself away to the head table before any of them could answer or reply to her.

"Did you know that McGonagall is an animagus too?" Lee had his transfiguration book open to show them the short blurb about animagi. "Wow, I wonder what the process is to become one? Wouldn't it be so cool to turn into an animal?"

"Depends on what animal you are. Imagine if you were a mouse!" Megan chortled, nearly spewing her food all over her plate.

Lee scowled and turned his book back around. "Even if I were a mouse, that's quite useful. Did you know you have to register with the Ministry too? Apparently you can go to Azkaban if you don't."

"Seems like quite the punishment for just being able to shapeshift," Tansy muttered .

"Well, if you can find the instructions on how to turn into an animal, let us know," Megan yawned. "Probably wise that we head off to our next classes."

Potions was next for Tansy and she parted ways with the twins, heading down to the dungeons quite near to the entrance of Slytherin house. Within the rough, stone walls it was cooler and damper. Tansy found she actually preferred the change in temperature and waited patiently for the professor and head of Slytherin household to begin class. Thankfully, the Potions class was only made up of Slytherins and Tansy was able to quietly soak in the information that Slughorn had began throwing at them.

The class would be difficult, but only to those who did not study and pay attention. Slughorn seemed to take note of the students asking clever questions and those who were distracted or staring blankly into space. Tansy didn't ask questions, but her quill moved as rapidly as a horse dashing across a field. She was a bit disappointed when it came to an end and as she was putting away her supplies, she heard her name called.

"Miss Belmont?" Professor Slughorn inquired, motioning for her to come forward to his desk.

Not bothering to keep him waiting, Tansy left her remaining things on the stone table and went to speak with him. "Yes professor?"

"Been a long time since I've seen a Belmont and I never thought I'd be seeing one here in Hogwarts, in my very own class. I expect great things from you in both this room and your other studies… Is your grandfather Ian? I do miss the conversations we used to have about his beast hunting-"

"You knew my grandfather?" Tansy's face brightened and she nearly dropped everything she had neatly collected in her arms.

Puzzled, Slughorn cocked his head at her. "I knew quite a few Belmonts, but like I said, it's been a long time since I've seen any of them. Did your parents move to the area within the last ten years? I would have thought they'd reach out to me-"

"Professor… I don't know my parents."

Slughorn's expression fell and he stood abruptly. "Well you're wearing their ring... Oh dear me," he chattered before spinning around. "You don't want to be late to your next class." He fixated on erasing the board and promptly ended the conversation with her.

 _He doesn't know something has happened to them,_ she thought, returning to her desk to pack up and leave. _Hunting beasts? Is that what my grandfather did?_

Lastly, was the class she had been looking most forward to, especially after her exchange with Slughorn. If her family had hunted dangerous beasts and monsters, it meant that they had an affinity in this subject. Defense was held with Hufflepuff, but as she dialed in on the professor, everything around her seemed to melt away. Her eyes fixated on Professor Otters who launched into her lecture on the Unforgivable Curses. There were no demonstrations, but Professor Otters detailed each of them, her voice quick as she unloaded the topic.

"Does anyone know why I am teaching you this subject on your first day?" she asked, leaning her hands against her desk, splayed open as she surveyed the class for the first student who would take a bite.

A Hufflepuff girl raised her hand, proud and swift. "Yes Leslie?" the professor called.

"The curses are very dangerous and forbidden. We should know which spells are prohibited from ever being used right at the beginning and why," Leslie answered primly.

"Hm, not the answer I was looking for, but yes, I see your point," Professor Otters stood erect, Leslie's arrogant smile fading as the woman said, "Anyone else?"

When no one else appeared eager to answer a question, Tansy raised her hand. "Yes, Tansy!"

"Well, professor, from what I've read and come to understand, these would be the most difficult spells to evade or defend against. Starting us with this subject would show us what lies at the pinnacle defense work against dark witches or wizards. You could have built up to it, but you don't want us to be ignorant to what dangers lurk out there," Tansy answered, speculating on most of it. She hadn't expected Otters to begin with the curses.

"Precisely! 5 points to Slytherin for that clever answer," Professor Otters circled round her desk and continued speaking until class was over. Students barely noticed that the class had ended and it was only when Otters glanced at her pocket watch did she have to call the class to an end.

While everyone was packing up, Tansy decided to approach Otters at her desk. "Excuse me, professor?"

Professor Otters took a moment to glance up from what she was working on. When she did, a smile unfolded on her face, and she set her quill back in the inkwell. "What can I do for you, Tansy?"

"I wanted to ask you if you know anything about the Belmont name. From what I've gathered so far, my family were some kind of hunters…"

Professor Otter's eyes caught the glint of the ring on Tansy's index finger. "Yes, the name is known better in Eastern Europe, but it is a powerful name. Do you have a few minutes?" the other students had already departed from the room.

"Uh… Yes of course!" Tansy put her things down and followed Otter to a bookcase she had against the back of the classroom. Her fingers wiggled as she looked through the bindings and finally, she selected a book that was titled 'The Legend of Dracula'.

Flipping open the book, she turned through the pages until she found what she was searching for. "Now Dracula is purely a muggle rendition of a powerful vampire called Vlad Drakul. When he stepped out of line, killing muggles and wizards alike, one family stepped in. The Belmonts," she turned the book around for Tansy to see. The sigil of the snarling wolf head with the sword and crescent moon behind it was detailed on the old pages. "But the slaying of Vlad Drakul was not the only thing that the Belmonts did. They were the bounty hunters of the wizarding world, going after beings that had stepped out of line including werewolves, vampires, and other dark beings. There used to be a saying, there isn't a dark creature that doesn't fear the lone wolf."

"What happened to them?" Tansy asked softly, running her fingers over the sigil on the page.

"No one knows, especially not around here. I know that some years back, there were issues with Barrow Wights or Wraiths in Scotland… Nasty creatures and the wounds they inflict with their swords are nearly unhealable. I think that perhaps they were slaughtered in the Second Wizarding War, since they would have joined the force at Hogwarts to defeat You Know Who," Professor Otters speculated.

"So… maybe my parents were in Scotland doing work when they were killed,,," Tansy speculated softly, but her mind shifted. "Wraiths? They don't like light or fire. The fire-making charm hurts them and a spell… _Expecto Patronum_ can repel them."

Professor Otter glanced up at her immediately, her brows furrowing. "Where did you read about that?"

"I… didn't."

"I wouldn't have expected you to. Wraiths are beings considered category 5 X rating by the Ministry. That material might be covered as an upperclassman, but there are no books in the library that you could use for research unless you searched the Restricted section. They are very rare and not something I'd expect any witch or wizard to encounter in this day and age. Tansy, where did you learn of them?" Professor Otters was staring at her very intently.

"I dreamed about them and I fought them a forest. They had killed a unicorn," Tansy replied albeit uncomfortably. Professor Otters was leering at her, incredibly transfixed.

Snapping from out of her daze, Professor Otters closed the book and slid it back onto the bookcase. Spinning around, her amber robes billowed like waves. She bent over and scribbled something on a piece of parchment, taking out a stout wand to mutter a spell.

"Tuesdays and Thursday evenings I want you to report here," Professor Otters told her, placing the parchment in her hand. "This is a note allowing you permission after dinner, in case we run late."

"Am I in trouble?" Tansy asked her.

"No, I am giving you extra lessons. We're going to begin with addressing the wraiths you dreamed about. Now get going before I come to my senses and change my mind," Professor Otters motioned for her to leave.

Tansy picked up her satchel and looked at the slip she had been given. She didn't know what Otters had done to it, but it was simply a note stating that she was being given additional lessons after dinner on specific nights and not to punish her if she missed curfew. Tucking it in her pocket, Tansy went back to her common room to change for flying practice.

The Quidditch Pitch was quite a long walk, but when she got to the pitch, Amaral and Rogers were waiting for her with a school broom. Said broom had a beat up handle and the base appeared as if the broom had been smacked against a wall a few times.

"Get over here Belmont, we've got the best school broom," Amaral called.

"And that's not saying much, they all kind of suck," Rogers grinned.

Tansy joined the upperclassmen and stood beside the broom.

"To begin, you've got to call the broom to your hand. A forceful 'Up!' should do the trick," Amaral instructed, standing alongside of his own broom. His was heavy, sleek, the bristles groomed and together. " _Up!_ " Rocketing up into his hand, Amaral secured it with a dark hand and smiled at her. "Try it."

Tansy took a deep breath, widening her legs so that they were as wide as her shoulders. One hand extended over the broom, she gave a forceful, " _Up!_ " The broom hopped up and smacked against her palm. Slightly startled, she glanced up at both of her housemates.

"You ever flown before Belmont?" Amaral asked her, appearing impressed that she had gotten the broom up so quickly.

"No," she admitted.

"So, what I want you to do it to mount it first. You have to make certain your grip is right before even taking off. I've seen a fair number of people just slide right off their brooms, so hold it just like this," Amaral explained, demonstrating the proper way to mount and hold the broom.

Tansy followed suit, readjusting her hands a few times, before they approved of the way she held it.

"Now kick up and hover," Rogers told her.

Tansy kicked her heels off the ground and the broom took control. Instead of landing back on her feet, she floated in the air just a few feet off of the ground.

"Now movement works just as you'd expect it to. Leaning downward with cause the broom to go down for a landing, but don't nosedive unless you like a mouth full of sod. You'll need to steer level to land. All motions from your body influence the direction in which the broom will move," Rogers titled her broom upward and leaned close against the handle, picking up speed as she rose. She swept around, each lean moving her left or right.

"Try for yourself, don't go too fast. You won't be accustomed to the wind pushing against you or the balance you'll need. Follow me," Amaral leaned up and slowly began ascending, motioning for her to trail behind him.

Leaning upward, as she had saw Rogers, the broom ascended. She immediately could see what Amaral was talking about, the broom was only as uncertain as she was. Clutching tightly, she followed after him, window snapping her hair back and away from her face. Tansy had barely noticed that they had picked up speed and were circling round the pitch now. Her eyes were fixated only on Amaral and thus her mind wandered, the wind hissing in her ears, running its invisible fingers through her dark hair.

A low screeching drew her attention, but albeit too late. When she turned her head, she saw a ball whirling toward her. Rogers screamed something, but like a deer in headlights, she stopped and was hit full force with the ball. However, instead of knocking her straight off her broom, Tansy caught it in the pit of her stomach. Reflexively, her arms wrapped around it, but her abdomen screamed in pain. The ball would not go quietly either, it continued to thrash and escape her grasp, shaking the broom violently.

Roger and Amaral were zooming toward her.

"Let it go!" Rogers screamed.

Tansy, disoriented and in pain, took another moment to register what she had been told to do. Eventually, she released her arms and the bludger whistled away. She fell forward, slumped against her broom, which in response began spinning down to the ground lethargically like a leaf falling from a tree.

"She caught the bloody thing? Is she alright?" someone asked.

Tansy opened her eyes to see Roger was holding her upright. "Thank Merlin! Is anything broken Belmont?"

Reaching to touch her stomach, she shook her head. She hadn't been hit in the ribs, thankfully, but there'd be a nasty bruise from where she had been struck. Glancing over at Amaral, the keeper was screaming at the Gryffindor team that had entered the field.

"Did you not see us flying? You could have killed her! Perhaps a warning would have been nice! We had the pitch reserved for an hour!" Amaral shouted, his fists clenched tightly.

"Perhaps you should keep first years off the pitch before flying practice. Any normal person would have dodged the bludger, not caught it," a Gryffindor snipped back.

"There weren't supposed be any balls on the field!" Amaral snarled. He had gotten quite close the Gryffindor and despite towering over him, the Gryffindor was nonplussed. With a fight about to break out, Tansy managed a weak and winded, "Amaral?"

The keeper remained rooted to his position for a few moments before sharply spinning on his heel. Rogers and Amaral helped her off the pitch, she was small enough that Rogers could drag her along on her own.

Sunlight had fled and they were hiking back up to Hogwarts in the dark. Amaral was complaining their entire walk up, cradling the broomsticks in his arms as he vented.

"What is their problem? They think they're allowed to do anything without being punished. Practice doesn't even really begin for a few weeks!" he grumbled, shaking his head in disgust. "And you were doing pretty well too, Belmont."

"I'll get a draught for your pain, might want to sleep it off," Rogers told her.

Upon entering the Slytherin common room, a few other students turned to see the first year that was being dragged in. Adrian was the first over, trying to get filled in on what had happened. A simple flight lesson had turned into a mess and he had been the one to approve it.

"Bloody Gryffindor unleashed a bludger on the field while we were flying. Belmont got hit."

"And it knocked her from her broom?" Adrian filled in.

"No, she caught it," Rogers remarked.

" _Caught it?_ " Adrian's brows shot up in disbelief.

"I'm going to put her in bed, make sure someone brings her food tonight, I doubt she's going to be up to going herself."


	6. Year One: CH 6 - A New Friend

Dinner and studying didn't happen as had been planned. Instead, she went to bed rather early with a draught that Rogers had made for her. Someone brought her food, but she found that she wasn't hungry, and curled up in bed. The twins would wonder where she was and she'd have to fill them in later. Why had they released the bludger onto the field? Why would Gryffindor so insistent on being imperious toward Slytherin, almost to the point where she could have been seriously injured? Her mind flitted to the earliest memories she had of living with Miss Meldar.

Hobson's eye glinted at her arrival, the new and small girl that would be joining the ragtag brigade of youngsters at the house. The first thing Tansy had done wrong was challenge him. He hadn't always been mean to her, not until she tried to insist there were easy methods of climbing the nearby fence or that scaring other children wasn't nice. When Hobson realized Tansy would not be as easily molded as the other children, he tried scare tactics, and eventually resorted to vengeful beatings or purposely getting her into trouble.

I didn't think it would be the same here. Is this my destiny? To be maltreated wherever I go? she wondered, waking part way into the night.

When the morning came around, Tansy noticed there was a huge welt on her stomach, spotted black and blue like a galaxy. Adrian had told her to go the hospital wing if her symptoms got worse, but aside from the ache and tenderness, Tansy believed she would be fine.

In the Great Hall, she found that the twins were eagerly waiting for her, their faces anxious as they noticed how lethargically she moved.

"Are you alright? We missed you at the library and you weren't at dinner!" Lee asked her, taking seats with her at the Slytherin table.

"Got hit by a bludger last night while flying. Gryffindor unleashed it on the field, I suppose they were about to begin practice," Tansy shrugged, finding that she was famished, having not eaten last night combined with the pain in her abdomen, she hadn't touched what had been brought to her either. Rather than the meager breakfast she usually ate, she piled her plate up with meat and beans.

"Were you in the hospital wing?" Megan questioned.

"No, I took a tonic that one of the upperclassmen gave me and went to sleep. Got one hell of a bruise on my stomach," Tansy replied, lifting her head as the owls screeched.

Frodo sailed into the hall carrying a letter, dropping it neatly in front of her before disappearing again. Tansy knew immediately that it would from Miss Meldar and would write her back after her classes. She tucked the letter into her bag and glanced over at the newspaper that a 3rd year was reading.

In large letters across the front 'WIZARD FOUND DEAD WITH NECK SLIT IN SCOTTISH FOREST'.

"Hey, what's that article there about?" Tansy inquired, pointing at the paper.

Lifting her head, the 3rd year glanced back at the front. "Just as it sounds. A wizard was found tied up in some woods with his neck slit over an altar. To me, it sounds like some muggles caught him and were performing some sort of 'satanic ritual'. You know muggles, always believing it's about religion and what not. People went looking for him and found him all tied up. Must've been drugged to have been caught like that."

Tansy shuddered at the thought of satanic rituals. In Hogwarts, religion was a subject that was not touched upon. However, no one seemed to be strictly against Christianity, it just had nothing to do with magic.

"Crazy what muggles will do," Lee muttered, shaking his head at the paper.

"Well it isn't just muggles that can do crazy things, but yes, sad that a wizard got dragged into it," Megan sighed.

The rest of the day's classes went along just as smoothly as the first day. Some of the subjects were a bit duller than others, specifically History of Magic. Professor Binns would rattle on and almost appear bewildered when a student raised their hand to ask a question, as if he had forgotten there were any students there at all. Transfiguration was the most exciting new topic, taught by another young professor.

Tansy thought the day would go without a hitch, unlike yesterday, until she went into Charms. During the entirety of it, she felt little pieces of parchment hitting her in the back. She didn't dare glance back, she knew it was either Lyla or her friends that were flicking them at her, but it didn't bode well for Tansy's temper. Her writing on her parchment was dark and the strokes deep as she pressed hard against it.

At the end of class, she emptied the back of her robes, spilling a handful of pieces to the floor. Not wishing to leave a mess, she bent over collecting them. Only when she was scrutinizing them that she saw some had been written on. Unfolding the parchment, scrawled in rather poor handwriting was 'Midget', another 'Ghost', another 'Squib lover', 'Fake pureblood', 'Disgrace'. Balling them all up, she tossed them in the trash. Names were just names and she'd heard the worst of the curses from Hobson. These little nicknames were nothing more than childish attempts at vexing her and Tansy would only compare it the foster care system. If she could handle Hobson's torture, she could handle the little gnats that sat behind her in one class.

But that was just it, the little gnats were to grow into much more than that. As the week continued, the papers were tossed at her, she was 'accidentally' bumped in the hallway, things would be 'dropped' in front of her that could trip her and all of this for not wanting to sit with Lyla on the train? And what good did pushing her around do? If Lyla was caught, she'd cost Gryffindor quite a few points. The idea amused Tansy, but she wasn't about to snitch on her. She was doing exceptionally in her classes and their annoyances had passed the boundaries of being nothing more than small disturbances she could ignore.

In class, Tansy was a very quiet student, only raising her hand to answer when the rest of the students had been exhausted or supplied the incorrect answers. Professors were able to glean that the reserved student knew much more than she let on, allowing for others to have the chance at answering correctly, than raising her hand every single time. There were other students who bragged about their academic endeavors such as the first few quizzes that they received back, but Tansy kept all that to herself. It was no one's business how well she was doing and while she would compare with the twins, there was no satisfaction in boasting.

Leslie was certainly one to swagger about her grades or any praise she received. Tansy had a nagging feeling that Leslie still hadn't gotten over their first day in D.A.D.A. and being proven wrong. Her hand would shoot up every since time Professor Otters asked a question and when Otters selected another student over her, a small pout would form on her lips and she'd keep her hand up. Fortunately, Leslie didn't seem petty like Lyla and simply made it her ambition to do better in class than Tansy.

But with the additional lessons that Otters gave her during the week, that was unlikely. The first of the lessons went over what a wraith was and what could repel them. Wraiths were dark beings, believed to be primordial spirits from old witches or wizards that practiced very dark magic. Wraiths often guarded barrows and could be found around hilly landscape where graves and treasures needed to be protected. While they may have once been mortal, no shred of humanity remained and they only had one motive; protect. Any of those who got in their way, they would kill, and wraiths were nearly impossible to destroy. Fire would repel them, but with no true body, the cloaks they wore just hid the grotesque shade beneath. Wraiths could be sealed in bottles or if their remains were located, could be destroyed by burning their remains.

Unfortunately, Otters made no further mention of the Patronus Charm and set Tansy to task with the fire-making spell. Where she had expected to learn many, varying spells on how to fight, she instead found herself loaded with additional homework and research. Thus far, only one spell had been mentioned and Tansy was beginning to feel that these lessons were more of a punishment than a treat.

"I wish I was taking private lessons with Professor Otters," Lee told her wistfully as they headed down to the owlery.

"Don't get me wrong, I feel privileged to have the opportunity, but she's giving me so much work!" Tansy sighed.

The days had grown shorter and the sun barely cast a flicker of light over the campus.

"If you're over your Quidditch expedition, you'll have time to work on it all. I still don't get why you wanted to be on the team, you know you wouldn't be able to study as much," Lee continued, reminding her of Miss Meldar for a moment.

After nearly getting knocked off her broom, she wasn't certain she wanted to be on the team. Her bruises were still there, yellowing, but a vague reminder that she'd taken a bludger to the gut. Maybe when she was taller, she'd try again.

Tapping the letter she had written in her pocket, her mind went back to Rye and to Miss Meldar. What she had received was an excited notice about how Miss Meldar's life was going with all the children away. Apparently, the woman had gotten into crafts and was knitting, crocheting, and creating scrapbooks to keep herself busy. Miss Meldar stated that she was excited to hear back and would soon be sending Tansy some hats and scarves once she found out what house she was in.

Tansy didn't know how Miss Meldar would receive the Slytherin news. Her foster mother's family had all gone to Hogwarts, but she'd never thought to ask what house they were placed in. In the letter also detailed how the boys had done in their first week of school, requesting that Tansy, in turn, also explain how her own classes were going. Tansy had included her extra lessons with Professor Otters and that once a report on her grades came out, she would send it directly to Miss Meldar.

"What did your parents write to you about?" Tansy asked, hoping to shift the subject.

"Mum was asking if he needed any additional supplies and they wanted to know which house we both got into," Megan answered as they climbed the tower.

With the chill of the wind, they drew their cloaks close. Most of the lower cavities of the tower were filled with owl droppings and the very base had a collection of pellets that the owls has regurgitation. Someone kept it clean or else it would have smelled considerably worse than it already did. At the top of the tower, owls of all shapes and sizes took roost against the wind and weather. Frodo, among one of the largest owls, was easy to find.

He gave her a disdainful sniff and eventually accepted her letter. However, when he turned round me made certain to thump her on the side of the head with his wing.

On their way back, where the trail diverged toward Hagrid's hut and to Hogwarts, they crossed Lyla and a few other Gryffindors. Tansy could pray to Merlin, but there would be no hearing her. Lyla took every opportunity she got to bother any of them and since Tansy was often alone, she was the easiest.

"Look here, a group of nerds," she commented to her clique, giving a snide, gap-tooth smile.

"Oh look, someone who can acknowledge their intellectual inferiority," Megan retorted, hitching her voice up as she tried to copy Lyla's accent.

Tansy couldn't help but smirk at Megan's swift comeback.

Lyla's smile faded immediately. "You think we're not as smart as the lot of you? Would you like to prove it?" she whipped her wand out, pointing it in Megan's direction.

"Megan don't-" Lee stepped forward, putting a hand on his sister's shoulder.

"Yeah Megan, why don't you listen to your spineless brother and go run off. If there is anything a Rosewood is good at it's hiding behind words, never putting forward anything to support it," Lyla snarked.

Before Megan could reach for her own wand, Tansy intercepted. "Don't you have anything better to do? Or do you just go and bother the rest of the students instead of doing homework? You've already proven numerous times that you've got a short temper, no need to make a further display," she said, crossing her arms.

The three girls with Lyla gave her a questioning look. Pigtailed girl was among them and found pushing Tansy around in the halls to be her calling. Another was tall for her age, but as narrow as a stick, with a face just as long and sharp as she was tall. Finally, the last had a wash of dark hair that obscured most of her face.

"And who were you sending an owl to? I thought you were an orphan. Or did your parents suddenly crawl up from their graves?" Lyla rounded on Tansy, taking a menacing step forward.

Tansy did not falter, standing resolutely, but with a plain, almost bored expression.

"Do you not feel anything? You look like you're dead with a face like that," Lyla glanced back at her companions to gauge their reaction, but when she did, something in the air caught her attention just as it did the rest of them.

The creature loped through the air, a strange, gawky thing with many limbs. It reminded Tansy of a frog, big bulging eyes as its wings carried it ungracefully… no ears. They were webbed like a seal's foot and striped like a butterfly. These ears were almost as the same size as the entirety of its body. Taking notice of the group gathered, it let out a shrill cry and sped toward them. Now with a motive, it moved swift and chose the one who was least prepared… and since Lyla had noticed it last…

Latching onto her curls, the creature clung with its many hands, trying to bite her with little fangs. Lyla shrieked as loud as a banshee, her wand splaying from her hands as she flailed wildly. Pigtails tried to grab the creature, but couldn't get a grasp on the furry reptile. Another girl had drawn her wand as if she were going to try and blast the thing off.

In the end, it was Lyla's caterwauling and writhing that dislodged it. With a soft thump, it was thrown to the ground and Lyla continued her frantic cries, running back from whence she came. Her friends had no choice but to follow her back up to Hogwarts.

Tansy and the twins were laughing, unable to contain themselves from the amusement the creature had provided.

"Serves her right! Did you see the look on her face?" Megan wheezed.

"I know, I- err, it's waking up again," Lee's grin vanished like dust in the wind and he pointed to the thing.

Just as the creature lurched forward to take a dive at one of them, "Flipendo!"

Tansy sent the sprite cartwheeling backward and to the feet of Rubeus Hagrid, the Care of Magical Creatures professor.

"Oh well there he is. Hope he hasn't caused too much trouble," Hagrid bent over and seized the stunned creature. "Nice work there.. Er…"

"Tansy Belmont," she told him. None of them had Care of Magical Creatures until their 3rd year and thus Hagrid had not had the chance to meet them aside from bringing them to the castle.

"Oh yes! You're first years, aren't you? I must say I'm a bit surprised you already know a jinx like that, but it's perfect for taking care of pesky little doxies. I was holding onto him for Professor Otters. Gonna teach a class about him and a few other fairy type creatures," Hagrid explained. "He didn't bite anyone did he?"

"They've got venomous teeth, don't they?" Lee asked.

"That they do, easy fix for that, but annoying nonetheless."

"You said you have more creatures like that? Can we see them?" Megan questioned, giving Hagrid big, curious eyes. She had expressed her interest in magical creatures and while she had a book to sate her for a while, it would be another couple of years before she could actually handle them.

"I mean… if you handled a doxy just fine I suppose I can show you the Jarvey I've got. No harm in that," he muttered.

Hagrid's hut was a combination of wood, stone, and thatch. For a man so large, they would have expected a much bigger house. However, it was very quaint with a little gourd patch growing splendidly out front. Letting them in, they saw the cage where the doxy has escaped from. The furniture in Hagrid's hut looked at if someone had cast an enlarging spell and all three children could have comfortably sat on one wooden chair.

Tucking the doxy back in its cage, another cage was filled with blue winged creatures. "Cornish pixies, even worse than doxies by a long shot," Hagrid told them, hobbling over to the fire. "Would any of you like a cup of tea? I was just about to put the kettle on before that nasty one got out."

Looking among themselves, Tansy took the lead. "That sounds nice, thank you professor."

"Ooh just Hagrid! I'm not as qualified as the other professors, not as learned as them, doesn't feel right to take the title. I'm just good at this…" he motioned to everything around him, humming as he set a kettle over the fire. "Been a long time since I've had students sit round my table like this."

"Are those fire drakes?" Megan demanded to know, looking at a pair of winged creatures in another bird cage.

"Why yes they are. Not many round here, actually borrowing them from an old friend to teach a lesson. Can't really have dragons around here so their smaller cousins will have to do," Hagrid appeared almost wistful as he mentioned dragons, but turned back to the kettle as it started whistling. "I got some biscuits on the table too. Help yourself."

The biscuits that Hagrid was referring to were solid as a rock and would have taken a tooth out. How long they had been sitting in the wicker basket was difficult to judge.

Turning round to pour them each enormous mugs, Hagrid addressed the twins. "I didn't really catch your names."

"Megan and Lee Rosewood," Megan told him eagerly.

"Rosewood... Rosewood... You have a father who's an auror? Works with Harry Potter, right?" when Hagrid took a seat, the table quiverded.

"You know our father?" Lee perked up as well.

"Well, he went to Hogwarts too. Few years ahead of Potter if I recall correctly, but a good lad nonetheless."

"Hagrid, how come you don't teach first years?" Megan queried.

"I'd love too, but most your age aren't as well equipped to handle these beasts yet. Hogwarts wants students to be a bit more prepared before throwing dangerous creatures at them," Hagrid explained. "And a knockback jinx won't suit all of them."

They enjoyed the company of Hagrid for a bit longer. For Megan, it was a field day, able to unload about the creatures she had studied. She pelted him with questions, whether or not he had encountered said beasts and if they would ever be learning about them. Once the light faded from the curtains in Hagrid's hut, they decided it would be wise to bundle backup and return to the school for some studying. With a weekend ahead of them, they planned to catch up on their homework and possibly search for more information regarding Tansy's family.

"We've got to practice on the match, Megan is still having issues turn it into a needle," Lee said, his sister glaring at him chagrined.

Upon entering the courtyard, they all froze, staring up at images that had been drawn on the doors, which were closed. The symbols were trickling, obscuring the symbol of the upside down star. Each of them starred at horror, a skinned rabbit nailed to the center of the pentagram.

"Is that... Blood?" Lee gasped, quavering as if he might faint.

A few other students had just returned, noticing the effigy, whispering beneath their breaths. No one had moved and it might have been a handful of minutes before a professor arrived. Flitwick glanced up at the symbol marring the door and then turned to address them. With a swish of his wand, the doors were flung open and the rabbit corpse plopped to the floor.

"Carry on! Nothing but a harmless prank," Flitwick explained, his voice squeaking even higher than usual. However, his face was a ghastly shade of white, as if he'd been made of marble.

When the three of them had traveled down the hall toward the library, Tansy paused recalling what she had read in the paper.

"Do you think that was a prank based off of what was in the paper with sacrifices?" she wondered.

"I don't know who would have a sick enough sense of humor, but I hope they get caught," Lee shivered.

But Tansy's mind dwelled on it. What student would think of such a macabre joke? The manner in which it was displayed was satanic in origin. Nothing about Hogwarts was religiously based, but why someone would choose such a method made her wonder if there was any magic revolving around muggle religion and fear of brimstone and the devil.

When they arrived at the library, Tansy's intrigue was so great that she searched the section of the library regarding muggles and religion. Sitting cross legged in the row, she cycled through the books. They detailed various religions, but Tansy wanted to know if Christianity had some sort of link with magic. When she could find nothing but wizards speculating about religion and what they had read when analyzing the Bible, she frowned and put the books away. With few enough sources about Christian faith, her eyes slid over to the Restricted section.

Tansy joined the twins at the table who had been busy working on their homework.

"Did you find anything?" Megan asked.

Tansy shook her head. "No, just wizards analyzing the Bible and trying to make sense of muggle religion. Not anything that's linked to magic."

"It could have just been a joke," Lee shrugged.

"Did you see the look on Flitwick's face? You're going to tell me that an amazing wizard such as himself would get scared by a prank like that? I don't know, it smells fishy to me," Tansy opened her own notebook and began on her own work. "If it were going to be anywhere, I bet it's in the Restricted section."

"Don't even think about it," Lee told her, giving her a scathing look.

But the curiosity in Tansy made her glance back over her shoulder at the cordoned off section. Just as she was desperate to know more about her family, she wished to know why someone had done that to the door.

At dinner that evening, McGonagall stood up to make an announcement. The word about what had happened to the entrance doors circulated like wildfire and all of Hogwarts was aflame with the news of the satanic symbol.

"Good evening, I'd like to address the effigy that was discovered on the courtyard door that many of you, have no doubt, heard about. Such pranks are not tolerated at Hogwarts and if we discover who did this, they will be expelled from the school," she paused, giving the crowd a stern look as if she could sense the guilty party was among them. "Also, a new list has been issued by Mr Filch regarding Weasley toys. The contraband will be posted outside the Great Hall."

The next day was rather nice and Tansy took the time to study out in the courtyard. Blue gazed down upon her as she went over the notes that Professor Otters had given her about barghests, who also tended to be in the same area as wraiths. A shadow fell over her work and she lifted her head, expecting to see a cloud in the sky.

Dread filled her and she half expected it to be Lyla. But when she gazed up at the face, she saw that it was another Slytherin. Ramsay was trying to read her notes, "Where'd you find that stuff?"

"Private lessons," she told him. He was the first Slytherin who had really tried to speak to her. The other all had met before (aside from the muggle borne girl) or knew each other in one way or another. Since she had stuck around the twins, she hadn't felt particularly chatty. She was typically a quiet person, preferring not to draw attention to herself or bother others unless necessary.

When Ramsay did not leave she finally asked, "Would you like to take a look?"

Sitting beside her, Ramsay inspected the notes. "Night creature, appears to be a large demonic dog with a partially skull face. Only comes out in the dead of night and can change shapes to appear like a normal dog. However, the moon's light will reveal the Barghest for what is truly is," he read aloud. "Is Professor Hagrid giving you extra lessons?"

"No," she paused, contemplating if she should share. "Professor Otters is giving me additional lessons."

"What for?"

Tansy shrugged. "She just offered them to me," wasn't entirely as lie.

"Well, I guess you are probably one of the most adept in our class. Though you don't talk much."

"No need to, not in class anyways. I'm there to learn."

"And now you've got additional work on top of everything else we've got to do? I've been wondering about you Belmont," Ramsey stared so intensely at her that she could feel her cheeks burn from his proximity.

"Uh..." she closed her book and started to edge away.

Ramsey barked a laugh and grinned wildly. "Sorry, didn't mean to freak you out," he then stuck out his hand. "Ramsay Cavallero." Ramsay was a decent height for his age with tanned skin and soft curly dark brown hair.

"Tansy Belmont... but you knew that already," she muttered, shaking his hand.

"I was thinking that you might just be shy, but the way you talk in class..." he glanced up at the sky and let out a low whistle.

"And how is that?"

"Confidently. You know the exact answer, but you're not boasting. You just prattle the information off like you've got a big encyclopedia in your head."

"Only for certain subjects. Potions is difficult to memorize and I definitely haven't learned all of the magical herbs either," Tansy confided. "My spellwork on the other hand..."

"So after this week of classes, I decided I wanted to be your friend," Ramsay declared.

"What, you're not intimidated by my nerdiness?" she mused, recalling Lyla's words just a day before.

"Quite the opposite! And if you were a nerd, you'd be leaping out of your seat like Leslie. I also... saw you fight that doxy yesterday."

"Oh, with the Knockback Jinx?"

"Yeah! You did it so reflexively! And let's not lie, I do admit I enjoyed Lyla getting a taste of her own medicine. You know, you're not the only Slytherin she bothers. I had to tell her off for being mean to Delta."

"Delta?"

"Don't even know your own bunk mates? Uh the red haired muggle borne girl. Probably the first muggle borne to get into Slytherin."

Tansy recalled the red head who had been complaining about her hair the very first day. Ever since then, she had been braiding her hair wet. Tansy didn't know why she wouldn't just cut the bulk off.

"And Lyla just had to make a comment, like she's the funniest, most clever witch in the entire school. She tries too hard and it shows, but not in a good way," Ramsay leaned back on the bench, stretching his shoulders. "I heard you also practiced with Rogers and Amaral. I managed to get out of them what happened that night... The one when they dragged you back."

"I'm alright, just had a bad bruise," she insisted, reflexively touching her abs where she had been struck.

"And Gryffindor gets away with it again!" Ramsay tossed his hands up, slapping them down on his thighs.

"Hopefully for not much longer. Lyla almost got caught by Hagrid just yesterday, but I suppose I prefer the doxy attack to detention," Tansy snickered.

And ever since that day, Ramsay became part of the trio, turning it into a quad.


	7. Year One: CH 7 - The Bloody Mark

Classes went along swimmingly and Tansy found that she was no longer sitting by herself for the majority of them. Ramsay took the spot beside her in their classes aside from Herbology, where they were also accompanied by the twins. She learned swiftly that he was an outgoing and cunning boy and while he was ambitious in some subjects, others he needed the assistance of Lee and Tansy to make it through his homework. Through Ramsay, Tansy also found the capacity to meet the other first years in her house, seeing she wouldn't have done it on her own. She wouldn't call herself friends with any of them, but acquaintances was better than nothing.

In Potions they were learning how to brew the Cure Boils Potion. Professor Slughorn chose the partners and Tansy ended up with a dark skinned girl by the name of Nova. While sharp of wit, Nova was more talk than she was intellect. Tansy hadn't had the time to stop her from putting the ingredients in, having gone to retrieve Shrake spines when the cauldron roiled and vomited up on Nova. The reaction was catastrophic, turning her lovely, obsidian curls into a white, flaccid mess. At that point, Tansy hadn't cared as much about her grade as she did Nova who began retching violently and Tansy had to escort her to the hospital wing.

History of Magic they had reviewed Emeric the Evil and had a test upcoming. It was Tansy's sole duty to keep Ramsay awake in that class. He claimed that the professor's ghostly glow had a sort of therapeutic aura. Either way, it was like pulling teeth trying to get him to remember dates and names. To Tansy, history was just a story and she liked stories. Committing it to memory only took reiteration and reviewing the material a few times over.

Herbology they had already learned about a handful of useful herbs. However, the one that stuck out the most was Dittany and its uses. In cross reference between Defense Against the Dark Arts, Dittany was a great herb to use to heal werewolf bites. It wouldn't stop the disease from infecting the wizard, but it would likely safe their life, as werewolf bites are mortal.

Professor Otters, having accelerated Tansy through the material, had already thrown more jinxes, hexes, and charms in her direction. The fire-making spell had taken a couple weeks worth of practice, but when she could perform it consistently, Otters flew forward like a bat out of hell. The woman made it seem like there was some sort of goal, but would never deluge what she was preparing Tansy for or why she had offered the lessons in the first place.

Other classes weren't so bad, Tansy thought Transfiguration was slow going, but then again most of the students still had trouble just turning a match to a needle.

Astronomy was probably her least favorite subject. Stars were beautiful, just was the night sky, but the parallels between reading them and alluding to magical prophecies just… bored her. She knew that once she took Divination, she'd also have the similar problem she faced in Astronomy. Fortunately, for the most part it was just memorization and fact. Interpretation was just not Tansy's style. She was black and white, favoring classes where she could use spells and study the weavings of the magical foundations to make herself more adept. She understood the uses of Potions and Herbology, even if they weren't as direct as Charms, D.A.D.A., and Transfiguration.

"Now for the levitation spell, a delicate swish and flick are required," Flitwick instructed. They had been working on feathers for a few days now and upgraded to a book instead. While many had managed to get the feather off the desk, the execution of the majority was shaky at best. The only time Tansy bothered to attempt was when it counted for a grade.

She wasn't certain if Otters had filled Flitwick in either, but he had a glint in his jolly eyes everytime he glanced over at her, as if he knew what she was capable of, but thankful she didn't make a boastful demonstration in class.

"I don't get what is so hard about this," Ramsay complained. "We've been working on this spell for weeks now," he lifted his dark wand and with a swish and flick, "Wingardim Leviosa." The book teetered up in front of him, pages splaying as he motioned for it to float up more.

His arrogant display was met with a few glares, especially from those who were having great difficulties with the charm. Shrugging, the boy let the book down gently and leaned back in his seat. Ramsay had been in a bit of a mood ever since auditioning for the Quidditch team and getting on. He was the only first year in all four houses to do so and he swaggered about in the halls, waiting for Lyla to challenge him regarding his feat.

"Attention everyone, I am going to be splitting the class up and placing those who are having difficulties with those I know that had learned the spell. We've spent quite a bit longer learning this spell than I had intended," Flitwick broke in, noticing that only a couple of books had been lifted from the desks.

"Dumb Gryffindors slowing us down," Ramsay whispered to Tansy.

She didn't openly agree with him, but the vast majority that were having issues were Gryffindors.

Flitwick split them up and Tansy ended up with the tall, thin girl that was a part of Lyla's clique. The swallow girl glared at her, keeping up appearances it would seem.

"What are you having issues with?" Tansy inquired objectively.

"Me? I haven't seen you cast the charm one yet," Sable snapped defensively.

"Can I see you demonstrate?" Tansy ignored the comment, tried to suppress a sigh and ended up staring at the girl intenty instead.

Sable blinked, Tansy's striking blue eyes boring into her, she suddenly averted her gaze. "Sure."

Rolling back her sleeves, Sable took her wand (which was oddly short for how tall she was) and with a dramatic and over embellished gesture, swashed and walloped her wand before saying, " _Wingardium Laviosa_."

The book flung itself straight up, banged into the ceiling, and due to how startled she was, Sable lost control of it. Crashing back to the desk in a fit, Tansy scrambled forward to catch it before it fell.

Behind them there was a fit of laughter. "Merlin's Beard Sable, are you trying to summon Peeves?" Lyla chortled above them, assisting another Gryffindor.

Sable's pale cheeks burned as red as a raspberry and she placed her wand on the desk as if she did not deserve it.

"Your gesture was too strong," Tansy told her, setting the dishevelled book back on the table. She took her own wand and gave a careful, but natural swish and flick. "It's like you're punching the book when you want to caress it. Follow me, you've got the words right, it's just the motion."

Sable worked on the gesture, copying Tansy's motion a few times.

"Control is the most important factor aside from the proper incantation," Tansy continued turning to her own book. " _Wingardium Leviosa_." Her book fluttered up, moving only at her will.

Sable had just cleared her throat to begin again, this time confident in the work they had put in, when a loud bang behind them caused the entire class to whirl around.

Tansy recognized Lyla's shrieking well enough and saw that the Gryffindor she was with had caused their book to explode in a downpour of paper. Tiny little fragments rained down upon them like an unholy monsoon and their faces darkened with soot.

"Gideon's got erumpent hide as a wand core," Sable muttered. "Happens more often than you'd think." And in that moment, the girl turned back around and ignored her friend's wailing behind her. "Wingardium Leviosa!" With excellent control, her book fluttered delicately like a butterfly. She only kept it up for a few moments, her excitement taking control, before she neatly placed it back on the desk. Sable was beaming and when Flitwick congratulated her, she gave him a broad smile… but did not thank Tansy.

 _I suppose I should just be grateful she didn't try to start anything_ , Tansy thought as she exited class.

* * *

The first Quidditch game was being held on Saturday and with only a couple of days between that, Ramsay was hard at practice with the end of classes. She didn't see him until dinner and he looked exhausted. Even with the game feast he didn't perk up. Set in front of the was rabbit stew, fresh venison steaks, roast boar, trout, and glazed duck. An assortment of sides included potatoes, candied brussel sprouts, frenched green beans with sliced almonds, golden rice, and yams.

"You're going to beat the beater out of you at this rate," Tansy told him, spooning the stew into a deep bowl.

"I have to be ready for Saturday," Ramsay droned, staring at his potatoes like a zombie. For a brief moment, Tansy thought he was going to rest his face in them.

"You won't be ready if you continue this ghoul charade. Eat some food, you need your strength," she chastened.

On her way to her lessons with Otters, she searched her notes for a remedy for Ramsay. If he wasn't in good enough shape on Saturday, perhaps there was an herb that would suffice as a quick pick me up. She was a bit early and figured she could wait outside the door until Otters arrived. Tansy took roost, barely noticing that the door was slightly ajar.

While reviewing her notes, she heard a cross voice.

"Why are you accelerating her through the topics? Other students are beginning to catch on and are asking me why they can't have additional lessons," the voice hissed.

"She is an exceptional student and one with a knack for Defense. It's in her blood and I'm not going to keep a student such as her at the same gruelling pace as the rest of the first years. At this rate, she'll be one of the youngest to cast the Patronus Charm is she keeps her speed up," this voice belonged to Professor Otters. Her accent was thicker and strained as if she was struggling to keep control of her own temper.

"And who gave you permission to do this?"

"I spoke with Minerva about it afterward. There is more going on with this child than you can understand and she also approved these lessons!"

"She's a child! I don't see how teaching her about foul dark creatures she's unlikely to encounter is beneficial. You haven't taught a class on wraiths since arriving at Hogwarts, but you've taken the time to dote on this one? We're not supposed to favor students-"

"Arrêter! You have seen the papers, if what Trelawney predicted is true and this girl lives up to be as like the rest of her family, which she had promised thus far, then she is in grave danger and needs all the training she can receive. I fear that what I give her may not be enough!"

Tansy had closed in on the crack, trying to hear more, when she felt a pair of eyes settled on her. The hair rose on the back of her neck and when she glanced back, Peeves was floating just above her, also listening to the conversation. Leaping back, she scowled at Peeves. The poltergeist rarely bothered the Slytherins for fear of the Bloody Baron.

"Eavesdropping? Naughty naughty!" Peeves cackled.

Tansy took a step back, contemplating her options. Instead of confronting Peeves, she simply spun on her heel and walked in the opposite direction. Peeves, confused by this, floated after her.

"What is the girl doing? Does she not want to know more? I have heard the whispers in the walls and I know."

"Knows what?" Tansy knew he was a fickle creature and doubted he would give an answer.

"I havr heard about the sacrifices and the forest. As well as why little Tansy is given more work than the others. Do you want to hear more?"

Tansy rounded to look at his stupid grinning face. "Go ahead then."

But instead of answering, he gave a big smile, cocked his head, and rocketed up in the ceiling his laughter shaking the windows. Blinking slowly, Tansy sighed. Maybe she should have threatened him with the Bloody Baron. She'd seen other students tell him to bugger off using the Slytherin house's ghost to scare him. Now he was gone and her chance of gleaning any information from him vanished like morning mist as the sun rose.

Turning around, she started back to the classroom as if it were her first time approaching. Along the way, she saw Professor Cogs, whirling down the hall from the room. He barely acknowledged her, giving a small jerk of his head, keeping his eyes lowered and head forward. She assumed it was the Transfiguration professor who had been talking with Otters, though she had never heard him raise his voice before.

In class, Cogs was extremely well spoken and kept his voice low so that students had to strain to hear him. He was a man of moderate height, but not exceptionally tall, just average. He had mousy brown hair that was thinning along the top, despite his youth, and had a stomach that bulged slightly from his trousers, only noticeable when he threw his robes back to bend over a desk to scrutinize a student's work. Pasty cheeks were webbed with flushed veins and he shoved his glasses up with rounded fingers as he stormed down the hallway. If Peeves were around, he might have had a good laugh bothering him.

Approaching the classroom, she knocked before entering.

Professor Otter's typically immaculate hair was in a disarray, strands falling loose from her bun. She lifted her eyes, the fury that had been held in them, vanishing as Tansy stepped in.

"We're going to work on the disarming spell today," she told her hurriedly, circling round the desk.

"Disarming?" Tansy began slowly, watching the professor carefully. "I thought we were continuing research on wights."

"Dark creatures are not the only to lurk in the shadows. Wights can wait, wizards are just as much a threat, if not more," Otters explained before taking her wand out. She demonstrated a motion that swept downward and then curled counter clockwise in a spiral. "Follow me," she ordered.

Tansy spent the entirety of her lesson learning the motion for the disarming spell. Her mind wandered to the stern expression Otters wore. Had the confrontation with Cogs caused this? In her fury was she trying to prove a point? Until this moment, they had been practicing only to defeat beasts, never people.

* * *

The sun glinted brightly in the early October air, smiling down upon the Quidditch pitch. A gentle wind filled with aromas of the shifting seasons and the food stands that had been setup at the student entrance. Apple dumplings, hot ciders, fresh pumpkin pasties, and steaming hot chocolates were waiting for the students.

Tansy purchased a hot cider and joined the other Slytherins in their section. With no Ramsay to sit with, she joined Nova and a few of her friends. Nova's hair remained the pearly white and Madam Pomfrey stated that her hair would continue to grow that way. Tansy thought it was rather pretty, contrasting with her ebony skin. Also among them was Delta, Robin, and Basil.

"I can't believe Ramsay's really one of the Beaters," Delta gushed, grabbing hold of the railing, so she could glance down at the Quidditch players walking out onto the field. "There they are!"

Tansy didn't bother standing and saw the players as they made their way to the center of the field. Madam Hooch was between the Slytherin and Hufflepuff. She spoke between them and then mounted her broom, rising steadily into the air before blowing her whistle.

Delta squealed in delight, returning to her seat as they all craned to look up. If Tansy didn't know better, she'd say that the auburnette had a crush on Ramsay. She watched him, eyes darting with his broom.

"Slytherin had possession of the Quaffle, we've got Hawthorn driving it forward. Oh and look at that! The newest Slytherin player, Cavallero, a first year, uses the bat to deflect a bludger from Hawthorn. What a hit!" the announcer cried.

Sipping her cider, Tansy glanced up at the Seekers who were trying to watch the field for any sight of the golden snitch. They remained steady for about 10 minutes, after Slytherin had scored and turned over the Quaffle to Hufflepuff. Suddenly, as if a fire had been lit under their rears, the Seekers zipped off after an amber glinted nearly invisible from where they audience was sitting.

"Hufflepuff scores again! And- OOH! That looks like a hard hit that Ysera took from the bludger. And she's going down. Cavallero sent that one directly at her!" there was some booing from other stands as the chaser spiraled to the ground.

"No wonder they took him on the team, he's a bloody good shot," Nova muttered, leaning forward.

The game continued with Slytherin scoring two more goals. Now down a chaser, Hufflepuff had no choice but to play defensively until the Snitch was caught. However, being backed into a corner, the beaters made fun work of trying to unseat more players. Hufflepuff, aware of their tactic now, was leery of the position of the bludgers at all times and they didn't score another player as they hoped.

Zooming down, the Seekers were among those battling for the Quaffle. A bit of confusion caused Rogers, a chaser, to fly directly into the other beater. Stunned from the collision, one Hufflepuff beater drove forward, trying to intercept the Slytherin Seeker. Cavallero followed closely behind, slamming his broom into the opposing beater, driving them away from the Seeker and toward the edge of the pitch.

Again, there was shouting, calling for some sort of penalty. But Ramsay's action had allowed for the Seeker to finish driving and gain control of the Snitch. Madam Hooch blew the whistle thrice, concluding the match at 50-50.

"Let's go and congratulate him!" Delta announced, standing abruptly.

Just as the players were landing to give handshakes, a loud bang like a firework sounded above their heads. A crimson light filled the space above them, directly over the pitch. Blinking like a flare, the light popped again and exploded in a mass of shrieks. Whistling around, tiny maroon stars imploded and from these little baubles, rain began to fall. Only the rain was red.

Tansy noticed that the shape of the stars was a face, long and goat like with pronged horns. People began screaming when the rain touched them. Tansy touched her arm where the liquid had spattered against her. No... this was blood, not red water. Others were beginning to realize the same as her and frantically tried to exit the stands, hollering and yelling.

Abruptly, McGonagall's voice ran clear and sonorous throughout the entire pitch. "Students, return to the castle immediately. All further matches are canceled for the day," she declared, pointing her wand up to the sky. A light filtered from the end and another professor joined in, Flitwick, dispersing the face of light and halting the rain of blood.

Filing out with everyone else, the plethora of students swiftly began their hike back.

"Bloody great," Nova muttered trying to get the red streaks out of her pale hair.

Tansy couldn't help but give her a sidelong glance at the pun.

Nova frowned, trying not the crack up, and continued to head the Slytherin girls.

Along their path, some decided taking a shortcut across the grass, while a few followed the worn dirt road. The girls followed the road and around the bend of the pitch, flanking the lake, Tansy noticed a figure, dressed almost like a student with their hood up, hobbling swiftly down toward the water.

"Who is that? Why are they going that way?" Tansy inquired suddenly, the others pausing to look at them.

"What does it matter?" Delta snapped.

Nova threw her hand up and glowered in the figure's direction. "Look-" she pointed to the yellowing grass that was stained with blood. What Nova was pointing out that it was too much blood to have been dripping off from the rain, but an open wound. The dark skinned girl gave Tansy a look, one that left no mistake that she was willing to pursue. "Go get the professors. Belmont and I will handle this."

Delta and Basil appeared uncertain, but after taking one more look at Nova's grim expression, they nodded and started back to intercept the professors at the Quidditch Pitch.

Once the girls had disappeared, Nova retrieved her wand and gave Tansy a silent, but reassuring nod. "Listen, we can't both go at him. Circle around and keep low to the ground, I want to surprise them," Nova told her, pointing to a few sparse trees that were flanking the lake.

Nodding, Tansy took her own wand out, blood pounding in her ears as she kept a low profile. She darted between the trees, carefully observing what Nova was going. The girl stealthily followed, carefully leveling her wand when she came close enough.

" _Impedimenta_!" Nova cried, a bright golden light snapping out at the figure. Tripping, the person fell forward, rolling around to reveal a wand of their own. The girl's spell, while it had knocked him over, had not completely bound him aside from his feet.

The spell was coming to his lips with Tansy ran out. " _Expelliarmus_!" a red flash sent his wand flying and into the lake behind him. A bright pain on her index finger drew her attention slightly, but she approached despite it. She kept her wand poised, a spell on her lips as they guarded the disarmed wizard.

He was wearing completely black robes, similar to a professor, his swallow and pockmarked face gaunt and dismayed. He sneered at the two of them, but made no motion to move.

"Eyes down and keep your mouth shut. Any funny business and I'll blast your feet off," Nova threatened.

There were markings on his hands that he did not try to hide, ruby webbing carved into the flesh on the backs in the shape of a pentagram.

Tansy rubbed her aching finger against her robes, hearing footsteps pounding behind them. Neither she or Nova moved to see who approached, but the first voice they heard was a good enough clue.

"Step back," Flitwick ordered in a shrill tone, taking control of the situation as he also pointed his wand at the man. "Where is his wand?"

"In the lake. Belmont disarmed him," Nova replied crisply, lowering her wand.

"Belmont?" for the first time the man spoke, his deeply socketed eyes turning to look up at the child. "I thought the sting of that spell was familiar. But my work here is done, I only wish I could have put you in a grave with the rest of your family. Do you wish to know what happened to them?"

Flitwick frowned and before Tansy had the chance to ask, the professor said, "Be quiet and get up. Go ahead and return to your dormitories."

Standing, the man did not attempt to move. "Everyone thinks it was an accident. But when they discovered us, we sacrificed them to Father. Always so curious you Belmonts are, trying to understand everything, didn't get it until it was too late to turn back. Too late to-"

" _Silencio_!" Flitwick shut the man right up to Tansy's despair.

And before the professor could ask them again, Tansy and Nova shouldered their way back to the school.

"Did you see his eyes?" Nova asked her, when Tansy shook her head she continued. "They were all red, I could swear his iris was too. Dark wizard if I've ever seen one."

"Red eyes don't make you a dark wizard," Tansy grumbled, her mood foul.

"Oh and I suppose those marks on the back of his hands were purely decorative too? I bet he has something to do with that ritualistic killing up north," Nova speculated.

"The real question was what the point of that charade in the pitch was about. It looked like Satan's face."

"Yeah, that's not exactly a student playing a prank. Now that we know it was that man, do you think it will stop?" But when the girls exchanged glances, there was a deeper knowing than words could express.

"He said 'us' when he mentioned my family. There has to be more of them and I'd guess he's not even the worst. I mean, we were able to stop him."

"Where'd you learn that spell? He might have got me if you hadn't."

"I have some extra lessons with Professor Otters," she muttered, her mind switching back to the exchange Otters had with Cogs. The prophecy that Trelawney had made... Did it have something to do with her? Was that why Otters was insistent that Tansy cram more work into such a short amount of time? Clearly, the arrival of the strange dark wizard had proved that it was these additional lessons that had saved them.

"Do you really think he knew your family?" Nova asked, most students had learned by now that she was an orphan. Lyla liked to use it as a demeaning name for Tansy.

"If he did, he knew what happened to them and their deaths relate to whatever group he is from," Tansy replied.

That night at dinner, McGonagall had another announcement for them.

"The culprit behind the event today at the Quidditch match has been apprehended. A pair of Aurors has already arrived to take him into custody. 100 points will be awarded to Slytherin, as it was the quick and cunning action of two of their peers that apprehended him. However, I state now that if any suspicious figures are found lurking on the premise, that a professor is alerted first. Said students were very lucky to have had the element of surprise and could have been seriously injured.

"In addition, the Ministry will be deploying a few of their wizards to patrol our premises. Once they arrive, said individuals will be introduced to the student body. I request that no one bothers them as they will be working to keep out campus safe. Until further notice, there will be no trips to Hogsmeade," at the headmistress's words, this caused a bit of stir.

Slytherin table was aflame with conversation and Nova launched into detailing how they had noticed the strangely outfitted man. She may have embellished bits, but she made certain to create the defining feature as Tansy swooping in to disarm him. Other Slytherins were thanking her and congratulating the feat, but she was elsewhere during the ordeal. She faked smiles, envisioning her parents speaking with this strange cult, getting stabbed in the back before becoming part of the sacrifice. Her finger burned again as if it were in a fire.

Tansy glanced at her hand, noticing that the pain was coming from the Belmont ring. The opal eyes of the wolf glinted madly, hinting at what was to come.

Surrounded by a group of students she had suddenly befriended, she was stopped by Filch outside the Great Hall.

"Belmont, McGonagall wants you in her office," he spat, Mrs Norris' lamplike eyes staring at her ominously. He seemed to take delight in the blank expression on her face, escorting her to the eagle entrance and depositing her. Filch left without any further word.

Tansy had yet to go to McGonagall's office and expected that she was going to give her an earful, despite the points Slytherin had been awarded. Her skin grew a bit hot as the eagle slowly circled round, lifting her into a large chamber filled with books and other assorted items, all neatly arranged and filed. Not a speck of dust was present in the dimly lit office. A tabby cat sat patiently on the desk, eying Tansy as she gingerly approached.

"Professor?" Tansy wasn't certain if it were just a cat or McGonagall.

Her guess had been correct and McGonagall leapt off the table, half way through the landing process, she shifted back into a witch in brilliant emerald robes. Her face was just as severe and grim as usual, her eyes rooting Tansy to her spot.

"Thank you for arriving on such short notice Miss Belmont," McGonagall told her before heading to a bookcase behind her, scanning the strange contents until she found was she was looking for. She had selected a small, leather bound notebook with a lock on the front. "Hand here."

Tansy gave McGonagall her hand and the professor fitted her ring into the lock. Popping open, the contents of the notebook were now betrayed. "As I thought, coded," she closed it and offered it to Tansy. "This belonged to your grandfather, Ian Belmont. A brilliant wizard and impeccable hunter."

Tansy opened the book, which to McGonagall had been gibberish. But before her very eyes, the shapes moved and rearranged to form words. The ink was a dark brownish red, leading her to believe it had been written in blood. "Why are you giving this to me now?" Tansy inquired.

"After what happened today, I felt you were deserving of it. I intended to hold onto it for a couple of more years, but..." she trailed off.

"What that wizard said... Are you hoping that I might be able to learn more from this?" A notebook that could only be opened and read by a Belmont. What other fantastic magic had her family used?

"If there is anything that reveals more about that wizard and whatever cult he hails from. The Ministry is currently investigating it, but if this cult caused the disappearance of the Belmonts, then your family may have had their own suspicions. I believe this notebook was found on Gavin Belmont, your father."

"Did you know them? My mother or my father?"

McGonagall's stern expression shifted and for a fleeting moment, pity and grief consumed her. "I knew Gavin. Very clever wizard, your demeanor... reminds me quite a bit of him. Reserved, aloof, but cunning and impeccably intelligent. Didn't speak much, but when he did he a wit as sharp as a sword. His memory was the most astounding thing, I don't believe Gavin ever forgot anything. One of the best, most dedicated wizards I ever had the honor of crossing paths with.

"Your mother actually went to Hogwarts. Heather Ollivander, niece of the wandmaker Mr Ollivander. And was she a great student... Just a moment," McGonagall went back to a case filled with what appeared to be old year books. She pulled some books labeled from the 1970s. "I think there may be some pictures of her here."

McGonagall splayed the books on her desk, flipping through them before finding Heather's 7th year book. She had been in Ravenclaw, Head Girl, and on the Quidditch team. "Heather did everything she possibly could and there were few who disliked her. With a skillset such as hers, there's not doubt why she began working with the Belmonts. I crossed paths with her a few times while working for the Ministry. You have her look, but your father's eyes."

"I'm related to Mr Ollivander?" Tansy could recall the familiar look in his eyes, how the old man appeared to be be withholding information. "Why didn't he raise me? Why did I get sent off to the muggle foster care?"

Realizing that she had made a mistake revealing so much, McGonagall tried to cover for what she had said. "Well, when your parents passed, it was during the 2nd Wizarding War and Mr Ollivander had been abducted. When he returned you were already in the care of a loving muggle foster house and decided to let you grow up safely among muggles."

Controlling the fit of anger that had consumed her, Tansy nodded mutely and kept staring a the moving pictures of her mother. "I understand..." she drawled. "But what happened to the rest of the Belmonts?"

"Unknown. They all just vanished," McGonagall told her.

"Can I have these pictures?"

McGonagall contemplated ripping them out of the yearbook, ruining certain pages, but when she espied the longing expression on Tansy's face, she bent over and ripped out the page of Heather standing with the Head Boy and her with the Quidditch Team.

"Thank you," Tansy muttered, staring intently at the young woman who was her mother. Heather had long, dark brown hair and pale freckled skin. Her eyes were a warm hazel and she had plump rose colored lips. Tansy wondered if she would looked like this when she was older, aside from her blue eyes. "If I find anything in this book, do you want me to come find you?"

"Inform Professor Otters or Professor Flitwick, I have some business that will cause me to leave intermittently. And do not go in search of answers, if this cult had something to do with your parents' deaths, it is likely they will want to finish the job," McGonagall gave her a flinty look before dismissing her.

Tansy walked slowly back to the Slytherin common room, enamored by her mother's pictures. She barely noticed that some of the other first years were inviting her to come join them by the fire, but she didn't hear them. Her mind was rapidly firing, trying to process all the information that McGonagall had shared with her. On top of that, her family wasn't all dead! And he'd made her pay for her wand too!

 _Is that why he let me have my wand? I've read more about it, a first year such as myself should not have been given this wand_ , she thought, sitting in her bed. Pumpkin, noticing how distracted she was, padded up to her and mewed.

"Look, look at my mother."


	8. Year One: CH 8 - Detention

**Hey everyone, I just wanted thank all those who have read this far. It really means a lot to me when people review, follow, and/or favorite. I'd like to let you know that my intentions for the future of this story is to include upcoming years in the same book. When the next year is released, I will change the names of the chapters and story. The title page picture will also change depending on what year the story is at. My plans are to complete year 1, skip to 3, skip to 5 and continue sequentially afterward.**

 **Again, it's all of you that really push me to write this and I hope I can keep popping chapters out daily. I really enjoy writing this story!**

* * *

Grandfather Ian was brilliant.

In her reading, Tansy had discovered that the well read wizard that was her grandfather, was not only a hunter of dark creatures and forlorn werewolves and vampires, but an engineer of spells. When Ian would confront a creature that he believed there was a better manner to combat it, he would work diligently and _create_ a new spell. His writing raved about the spells, giving the exact motions and words they required, as well as the spell's difficulty. Tansy found that the majority of his invented spells were out of her skill range and when she tried them, she produced meager results. She might have gotten upset by it if not for her fascination with the information she was taking in.

She contemplated rewriting all the work, so she could share it with Otters, but realized after that some secrets were worth keeping. Being the only known living member of the Belmont family meant that no one would really know what it said aside from her. The reason only she _could_ read it was due to the magic Ian had wrought. He wrote the notes in his own blood after combining a series of herbs and materials to create a potion. Said potion was the very ink that only those who possessed the same blood could read. The recipe had been included, so that any other Belmonts could contribute as necessary to the notebook.

Tansy had yet to get even halfway through the notes and she was too enthralled by it all to go ahead and skip or try and peek at future notes. Only one spell she had managed to get working and it was to use against barghests. Fire could repel barghests, but not wound or kill them. However, Ian's spell was rumored to maim and could be used against other dark beasts. 'The Holy Sword' charm, which could be directed at the barghest like a divine sword, striking invisibly. Once cast, the charm could be maintained and wielded until the counter to the charm, ' _ferrum reditus_ ', was used to sheathe said sword. She could cast the sword, but the ability to keep the charm going was the most difficult part. Even a small lapse in focus would cause the charm to crack.

She had noticed that many of the spells drew upon holy conjurings and references to the Bible, which piqued Tansy's interest. In Ian's writing, he referred to passages in the Bible, interpreting them and drawing the similarities to creatures of the night. To Ian, the Bible had gotten man things wrong, but there was also wisdom to be gathered from the scripture. Holy incantations used to create charms, hexes, and jinxes were proven to be effective against the enemies of the Belmonts. Further analysis of the Bible was required, to see if some of the Latin prayers could be turned into useful spells. Ian also speculated that the 'possessions' and evil that lurked around the muggles that was turned away by priests chanting in Latin may have held more water than other muggles or even wizards believed. Ian was keen on the idea that the most successful priests and bishops actually had a bit of magic and their words could expel spirits from their hosts or send demons back to their holes in hell.

Hell was another topic that Ian mentioned, but did not go too in depth. While he didn't believe hell was an actual place that sinners went, he did believe that it was a plane of existence that some of the worst creatures had spawned from. His theory was that loveless beings such as dementors had come from this plane and that certain magics could be used to weaken the link between earth and the 'hell' plane. How such a thing was managed, Ian did not know or did not think that it was safe to record such dark tidings.

Tansy also told no one about the contents of the journal or that she had received it from McGonagall. Not out of greed for the knowledge, but out of fear that someone bad might learn that she had it. The Belmonts had already done so much to keep what was in the diary a secret… the binding that would only open for a Belmont ring and the script being magicked so only a Belmont could read it. Perhaps she might site information or use the spells in front of others, but she would not betray the full contents and theories to anyone. Too many questions would be asked, especially about Ian's interest in creating spells derived from muggle religion.

Tansy only took it out when she was in the dorm, resting in her bed, and when the other girls had asked, she simply told them that it was her father's journal. Other than that, the journal had lost all pertinence to them.

The photos that Tansy had received of her mother were always kept with her. She had carefully folded them and placed them inside of her folder so that she could carry it to her to classes. Tansy had even gone as far to ward them against being ripped, burned, or ruined by water. She was terrified that the only pictures of her mother might be stolen by Lyla and that the girl would try to destroy them. She only wished she had a picture of her father to go along with it.

Winter break was rapidly approaching. As promised, the aurors appeared and began working on campus. Since their arrival, there hadn't been a single effigy or surprise occurrence. The presence of the Ministry warded away whatever cult group had made their debut in October. And with this, older students were allowed to go down to Hogsmeade again and typical extra curricular clubs were in session. But deep down, Tansy knew they were still out there, just biding their time and waiting for the proper moment to strike.

It took her a while to write a letter to Ollivander. She hadn't known what to say and eventually, after she mapped out her thoughts, she was able to put quill to parchment and entreat her great uncle. Tansy wasn't expecting to move in with him or even ask to be adopted, but she did seek the companionship of her only remaining blood relative.

"The Winter Ball is coming up just before break, are you going to go?" the girls had been chatting nonstop about the ball. Hogwarts had began hosting said ball annually, every other year, a handful of years ago, rather than only during the Tri Wizard Tournament (which was a considerable length away seeing it had happened just 2 years ago). First and second years were allowed to attend, but only until 10pm. Afterward, the late night festivities were only for third years and up.

Tansy had never gone to any sort of dance in her lifetime, let alone a dance. Vaguely, in her memories, she could recall Father Daughter dances in primary school, but she'd never had a father to go with. And the idea of spending a good amount of money on a dress she'd only get to wear once, before growing out of it, was unappealing.

"Tansy are you going to go? I think a black or violet dress would look very nice on you," Basil commented, twirling one of her thick curls between a finger.

"Probably not. I doubt my foster mother will think it's a wise use of money and just tell me to wait a couple of years. We don't get to stay late until our third year anyways," Tansy pointed out, poking at her porridge.

But the subject was like an infection spreading through the air and each person that heard about it droned on and on. People were much more distracted in class and Tansy noticed that there were older students asking each other to the dance, offering flowers, or little knicknacks they had bewitched to change colors, move, or sing. Probably the strangest token Tansy had noticed thus far was a singing clam with a faux pearl ring on the inside.

"Where are you going for winter break?" Tansy asked Ramsay as they walked to their next class.

"The majority of my family is from Spain, so I will be in Madrid with them. What about you?"

"Just going to go back and visit my foster mother in Rye," she didn't include that this also meant coming into contact with Hobson and the others. No one knew about the boys aside from Jasper and the Gryffindor had been steering clear of her for a while now.

"Are you going to go to the dance?" Ramsay asked her.

Tansy shrugged. "I'm a bit disinterested in it. I don't really want to ask for money for a dress and I'm not certain Miss Meldar would even give it to me," she told him honestly.

"Have you ever been to a dance before?" he inquired.

"No."

"Do you even know _how_ to dance?" when Tansy did not answer in a timely manner, the boy was staring at her in a mix of horror and amusement. "You know, there is always a first time. And I'm a pretty good dancer. My family dances all the time. We do some salsa, we do some-"

"I'm alright," she told him hurriedly.

Ramsay, undaunted by her words, took it as a challenge. "The mighty Belmont, so great at every class she does, can't dance? Is this actually something I might know more about than you?"

"No need to rub it my face," she grumbled tartly, letting her long dark hair fall around her. "I've got a lot of work to do and like I said, I don't think that I even have the money to buy a dress."

"A lot to do? You're leagues ahead of the rest of us, I think taking a little break to enjoy yourself isn't a big deal."

Aware that Ramsay was not going to concede anytime soon, she decided to be the one to give in. "I'll think about it." Her answer was dubious at best, but realizing that he was making her mildly uncomfortable, Ramsay settled.

She hoped that Ramsay would drop the subject, but found that boy spinning into every class, posing in mock dance gestures, trying to get Tansy to join along with him. Instead, he simply stared at him with those large, vibrant eyes… Only her expression wasn't vibrant, it was blank tinged with a bit of annoyance.

Nova brought it up to her later, glancing beside her at Tansy, who was butchering her lunch with her fork, repeatedly stabbing it. "Are you… alright? You seemed a bit off in Potions today."

"Yeah, just with the holidays coming up and-"

"The dance? Seems like a waste of time and money to me," Nova commented, flipping her ivory hair.

"Precisely! It makes more sense to go when we're older and get to stay later, but when I said that the first time, everyone looked at me like I was a three headed dog," Tansy responded.

"That's because all those girls have crushes and they're hoping to go out. But let's be real, we're 11, do they truly think any romantic relationships we make now will really last?"

Nova had a good point. "Ramsay just said it would be fun."

"Ramsay has the biggest crush on _you,_ " Nova informed her, watching as the cogs finally turned in Tansy's head.

"What?"

"You didn't realize? He follows you around _every_ where."

"You have girls that follow you around everywhere. Do you think they have crushes on you as well?" she retorted tartly.

Nova blinked at her and waved her off. "I'm _just_ saying…"

Before the conversation could continue any further, a golden owl flew over head and plopped a heavy letter down in front of Tansy. The letter was not from Miss Meldar, she didn't recognize the owl, nor the parchment the contents were enclosed in. When she opened it, she discovered that it was a letter to her from her great uncle, Garrick.

' _To my great niece,_

 _I want to both give you an apology and a congratulations. I must say that I am incredibly proud to related to you and that I regret not being there every step of the way. I know excuses are probably not what you wish to hear, but when your parents passed, I was a prisoner of He Who Must Not Be Named. When I returned to my broken store and discovered that my dear Heather and her husband Gavin had been found… I searched for you, but you were already in the caring hands of a muggle family. It was then that I believed it best for you to be raised by muggles, blissfully unaware of the terrible things that had happened when you were just a babe. Never did I anticipate that you would be bounced house to house, but I do see now that the woman who cares for you now cares quite a bit._

 _When I was going to tell you, was another story. I was going to wait until you were older, but it seems that fate has dealt her cards much earlier than I would have believed. The moment you stepped into my shop, I saw both Heather and Gavin, but when you spoke, I saw Gavin. Your father was a brilliant wizard, a man with prowess and skill that intimidated and shocked others. There was never any task too large or dangerous for your father and somehow, he always seemed to accomplish these feats. Your mother was drawn to him like a bee to honey, so similar in many ways, both powerful sorcerers. But it is he I see in you, from the way you speak and watch, to the wand that chose you._

 _I understand if this is all too much for you and if you do not wish to have any contact with me. However, I have also mailed a few photos of your parents. Know that you always have a home with me in London, should you ever choose to leave your current family. I shall not insist, for I am but the man who sold you a wand for 10 galleons, but know that my door is always open. I do hope that you will write back to me about your adventures at Hogwarts._

 _Love,_

 _Great Uncle Garrick Ollivander'_

When Tansy flipped the parchment over, the pictures of which he referred to fell onto the table. One was of her parents on their wedding day, leaning in to kiss and seal their vows. They turned to smile at the flash of the camera, Heather lovely in a lace gown, and Gavin sharp in a fine suit. The second was of Gavin, appearing to be some sort of photograph for work or a portfolio. He was dressed in a brown suit, a pocket watch chain hanging from his breast pocket. He was a tall, broad man with light brown hair and the same striking blue eyes as Tansy. His face was sharply carven as if he had been roughly hewn of marble. He moved slightly in the picture, blinking as he held his wand against his forearm.

The final photo was a family picture at the beach. Tansy had to have been one or two years old at the time, dressed in a little pink swimsuit. Heather had a wide brimmed sun hat on and a one piece bathing suit, laughing at Tansy as she dumped sand on Gavin in the middle of the picture.

"Is Belmont crying?" Lyla's voice broke in, rousing her from her staring.

Tansy had not even realized that her eyes had become damp and tears began to run down her cheeks unhindered like a levy that's dam broke. She sniffled and placed the photos down as the girl came up behind her.

When Lyla swiped for them, Nova got to her feet and shoved Lyla so hard that the girl tumbled to the floor.

"Piss off!" Nova snarled.

Lyla was stunned, staring open mouthed at Nova.

Before Lyla could even get a word out, the dark skinned girl continued. "I'm sick of it! Sick of you and your house disrespecting us. I don't know what your problem is but get off your high horse and come back to reality where bitches get stitches. Screw with us again and you'll regret it," Nova threatened.

Lyla didn't balk, letting out a small, harsh chuckle as she was helped to her feet by Pigtails. "And you reveal yourself for what you truly are. I always knew Slytherins were just a house filled with aggressive, lying traitors, waiting for the proper time to strike. Go ahead then. Do your worst," the girl raised her hands in a challenge, smiling with her large gap tooth.

Nova took a step forward, but Tansy grabbed her arm, noticing that Filch had just entered the hall. "Forget about it, she's not worth it," the Belmont muttered beneath her breath, trying to calm her companion.

Inhaling deeply, Nova glanced back and noticed that there was now an adult in the Great Hall. "You're right, she's not worth it," the girl stated loudly before taking her seat again.

It was supposed to be over, only Lyla didn't want it to be. The girl grabbed the nearest cup and threw it at both Tansy and Nova. The cranberry juice spilled all over their robes and hair, Nova's hair turning pink from the stains. Unable to contain her fit of rage, Nova whirled around and tackled Lyla to the ground. Tansy also was on the ground, but was the one trying to wrestle Nova away from Lyla before she did something stupider than she already had.

Professor Cogs was in the Great Hall in an instance, Filch hot on his heels as he broke up the fight. "Stop it! Stop it all of you!" separating the Slytherins and Gryffindors, he leered at them all. "What _is_ going on here?"

"She threw juice at us!" Nova screeched, motioning to her robes and hair.

Cogs didn't challenge it, his eyes sliding back over to the other two. "And _why_ did you do that?"

" _She_ started it. Pushed me first and so I threw juice at her," Lyla replied crisply.

"I didn't start it! You started it with making fun of-" Nova was silenced by the professor.

"I don't really care who started it anymore. All four of you will have detention for fighting," Professor Cogs announced, glaring at them. "And 5 points each from your respective houses."

Lyla didn't like the sound of that. Gryffindor was already scraping along on points and at this rate, they'd never catch up. "Professor, I'll do 2 detentions, just please… No points," she begged.

" _10 points_ from Gryffindor each," Cogs corrected.

Looking miserable, Lyla nodded and went in the opposite direction from the Slytherin girls who had to return to their common room to change.

"10 points? I'd trade that for getting to put these hands on Ibex twice," Nova shrugged as they returned to their dormitory to change.

"Thanks," Tansy said, also getting punished, despite being the one trying to break it up.

"Don't thank me, I've been wanting to do that for a while now. And we're both Slytherins, we have to look out for each other. You've proven you had my back, so I've got yours," Nova shrugged it off as they changed their robes.

* * *

Filch was absolutely delighted to deliver them the news of where their detention would be held. And much to all of their dismay, it included cleaning up the perimeter of the lake, late at night, with Hagrid. Grindylows were washed up in little tide pools around the lake from a storm a few days ago and would have to be transported back to the main body of water. Nasty little things with gnashing teeth and tentacles. While not only repulsive, they were also aggressive and would bite if handled incorrectly.

"Why do we have to save them? Aren't these things evil anyways?" Nova asked Hagrid as she picked one up with a spade and started to bring it over to the lake.

"Well, the merpeople who live in this lake keep 'em in check, can make 'em into pets. Not my call, but in order to keep good relations with the selkies, we're going to do them this favor and put 'em all back," Hagrid explained, grabbing the grindylows with his massive hands. He didn't seem to notice their biting.

Tansy was using the levitation spell to guide them back to the water. However, they didn't seem to like being manipulated and thrashed wildly until she tossed them back in. She had already watched one grindylow trundle up the handle of a spade and bite Pigtails. There was no way she was going to be covered in grindylow bites and began using her wand after that.

Skirting around the lake, a little distance off from the others, Tansy was tossing more grindylows back into the water when she saw a pair of eyes just beneath the surface, reflecting as the moonlight hit them. She paused to look, wondering who or what she was staring at. Eventually, she crouched, waiting for the eyes to vanish within the depths. But when they did not, she sat entranced.

Finally, the eyes lifted and a head broke the surface of the water. Staring back at her was a selkie; luminous golden eyes gazed back curiously and he had a smooth green face and a flat nose like a snake. His hair appeared to be made of filaments, tiny little hairs on each strand. Despite not being colorful or human in appearance, Tansy found something engaging about the selkie.

When he spoke, only a thin, rough grating sound came out. She found that she could not understand what the young selkie was saying, but still she strained, trying to comprehend.

"I'm Tansy Belmont," she told him, wondering if he could understand her. "Do you live here?" she felt stupid after asking him.

The selkie blinked his large eyes and nodded slowly.

"You must have a big family down there. I've heard about your community before. Do you like it here?"

The selkie nodded again. He then pointed to one of the pools she was near, raising a webbed hand out of the water.

"Oh, yeah, we're returning the grindylows to the water," she stood up to glance into the pool, noticing another one of the abominable things was inside. Taking her wand, she lifted it out and brought it over to the selkie. "Do you really like these things? Or do they bite you too?"

The selkie grabbed the grindylow, holding it up by one of its tentacles, giving it the most disdainful look. The grindylow thrashed and hissed before the selkie simply tossed it behind him, a soft plunk resounding when it hit the surface.

"Tansy! Tansy! Hagrid said we can head back now. What are you doing?" Nova came running down the edge of the shore, splashing some water.

"I was talking to-" but when she turned back to introduce the selkie, he was gone, not even a little ripple on the surface of the water indicating that he had been there.

"Nothing?" Nova arched a brow at her. "C'mon it's been a long day," the girl grabbed her by the shoulder and steered her away from the water.

"I swear, I'm not mad," Tansy grumbled, throwing one haphazardous glance back at the water and when she did, the selkie had reappeared, smiling at her with his small sharp teeth.


	9. Year One: CH 9 - Christmas Break

Christmas meant returning to Rye and halfway there, Tansy wished she had stayed back at Hogwarts, coming up with some poor excuse as to why she couldn't go home. Even with all of her magical wit, she _knew_ she couldn't use it on Hobson or the other boys, as much as she wanted to. Her friends promised to write her, but the vacation looked bleak as she arrived in cool Rye, a fresh blanket of snow settling over the town after Mr Enright had picked her up from Hogwarts. He had blabbed the entire time, making mention of her studies, school work, and being in Slytherin and all. He talked so much that Tansy almost used the Silencing spell on him, wishing he'd just shut up.

The past few months at Hogwarts had been the most brilliant in her life. She had learned about her parents and that she had an actual blood relative. She had learned many spells and was excelling in her classes. Even though she had to deal with Lyla, she could take the stupid girl over a bleak day in muggle life, back in Burnley where they had been poor. Tansy didn't know quite what to expect when she returned and she certainly hadn't expected what she found.

Opening the door to squish her in a hug, Miss Meldar had lost another two stones of weight. The once rotund and boarish woman, was now just slightly plump and curvy. Years had been shaved off of Miss Meldar and she was a completely different woman. Her cheeks were rosy from the effort she had put into tidying the house (which had several crafts hanging up, Tansy noticed). She had a cute little apron on that she had sewn herself and a toasty peppermint hot chocolate waiting for Tansy on the counter.

Miss Meldar leaned on the counter, Mr Enright coming up behind her to place his arm around her.

 _Odd,_ Tansy thought as she daintily wiped her hot chocolate mustache off on a napkin.

The house had been decorated, a large tree bright with white bulbs, tinsel, and gold, green, and silver orbs. The hearth roared with a fire and a few new quilts assorted themselves on the couch. More items and knicknacks had been acquired, turning the large house into a home.

"Where are the boys?" Tansy asked, surprised they had not come down to poke and prod at her.

The delighted smile faded from Miss Meldar's lips and her cheeks flushed. "Well…" she began slowly. "With all of this magic going on, between you and Coleman, I didn't think it suitable to foster muggle children anymore. The Ministry also believed the same and insisted that they go to other homes and I close my doors for good. On the other hand, Hobson has been expelled from his school, so I have him grounded for the entire holiday break."

Tansy held in the snicker, staring plainly at Miss Meldar. "What about me?"

Nervously, the woman tapped her manicured fingers together and forced a smile. "Ah, well… The Ministry has informed me that you still have a blood relative who is alive. But I was already in the process of… Ah…" she stammered to find words, which was unusual for the woman.

Enright filled in for her. "What Esta is trying to say is she was putting adoption papers in for you before finding out about your uncle. She wanted to ask if you'd like to live with your uncle… or stay here."

"I'll stay here," Tansy responded, almost at once, startling both adults. When they gazed at her, seeking an answer, she placed her hot chocolate down. "I look forward to getting acquainted with my uncle, but I believe our relationship will be more established as I grow. I'm comfortable here and I'm comfortable with you Miss Meldar."

Esta tried to blink back the tears that were collecting in her eyes as she wrang her hands. "You don't understand, darling. The past few years, with how terrible I've been to you… and you would choose me?" she squeaked these words out.

"There were times when I felt shunned, I felt alone, and I felt that you hated me… but when I looked back, I see that everytime you yelled at me, it was my manners, my attitude, my lack of cleanliness…" Tansy didn't look up, searching for the right words to say to her. "And parents aren't supposed to be your best friends. I've learned to hold my own because of it. I didn't grow up privileged, but now that I am, I can appreciate it. In the recent months, you've changed so much too Miss Meldar. You're a good person, it was the stress of watching all of us, making certain we were good children, trying to keep us out of trouble while trying to pay the bills… _I understand_ and I forgive you. I just hope you can forgive me for all the times I was stubborn with you."

Miss Meldar appeared as if she were about to break down into a fitful mess, turning to nothing more than an emotional puddle on the ground. However, Mr Enright gave her a nice squeeze on the shoulder and the woman sniffled, wiping a few tears from her eyes.

"So I will go ahead with the adoption papers…" she announced. "And Tansy, you don't have to call me Miss Meldar anymore. You don't have to call me mum, but Esta or Nan or-"

"What about Auntie?"

"Auntie?" Esta chuckled, half laugh half tearful. "I like the sound of that."

As if on queue to ruin the little moment that was happening in the kitchen, Hobson materialized in a pair of sweat and a raggedy t-shirt, his gut hanging out slightly. The gleeful expression Esta once had vanished as she frowned at her eldest son's appearance. "Hobson, aren't you even going to say hello to Tansy?"

Hobson glanced over at Tansy, giving her the most scathing look. Side by side, the two children looked worlds apart. Tansy in her prim peacoat, a black skirt, and high socks, whereas Hobson looked like an _im_ proper mess. He plunked down in front of the television, muttering something beneath his breath that sounded as if it might be 'hello'.

Gordon was quick to follow, but unlike his brother, he was well groomed and dressed in better clothing. He beamed at Tansy, welcoming her back with a friendly hug, much to her own bewilderment. The posh school seemed to have done Gordon well.

"How's your magic school doing?" Gordon asked, taking a seat next to her on one of the barstools.

Tansy nearly fell of her chair when he asked, glancing over the the two adults.

Mr Enright and Esta shrugged. "We told them once the other boys left. And about Coleman too," the woman informed her.

"So what kind of things did you learn? Can you show me?" Gordon continued.

"Oh, no, no, no. Tansy can't use magic outside of school until she's nearly an adult," Enright chastised.

"Come on now, I've seen _your_ magic and I can't see hers?" Gordon sighed glumly. "We've got a witch in the family and I can't see her do some magic?"

Mr Enright wasn't entirely correct, but she gave Gordon an apologetic smile. She could use magic outside of school, it just couldn't be used on or in the presence of muggles. Was Gordon even really a muggle? Or was she a Squib too, just like his mother? Or did you become a muggle after your parent was a Squib? And all underage magic was tracked, but she'd only done them in the sanctity of her bedroom while living in the house.

"How did you like your school Gordon?" she shifted the subject.

"It was amazing! Huge campus, other smart people, everything about it was great! I can't wait to go back. I'll have you know that I got good marks too."

"Tansy has Outstandings in her classes as of now," Esta told him. "You'll have to stop goofing off so much to see if you can catch up to her."

"If _I_ were going to a magic school, I'd have all Outstandings too! Who wouldn't want to study magic?" Gordon huffed, giving Tansy an envious glance.

"I wouldn't," Hobson finally spoke up for the first time as he trudged over as if he dragging himself through thick mud. "Bit of rubbish it all is. What are you going to do when you graduate? Have magic shows? Pull rabbits out of hats?"

"Witches and wizards have their own array of jobs. I, myself, work in Muggle Relations for the Ministry. I bet Tansy could be an Auror or-"

"I _know_ what you do. Muggle this, muggle that. Why do you like us _muggles_ anyways? Aren't we boring?"

He was treading a thin line and Hobson could see it clearly on his mother's face now. His shirt was like a big red blanket, a perfect target for a furious bull to charge at. But before Esta's horns could fully develop, he spun away. "I'll go take out the trash," he said, making amends before she started on her rampage.

Once Hobson was out of earshot, Esta breathed out heavily through her nostrils. "That boy! I don't think I'll ever understand him."

But Hobson would not change and Tansy learned that he loathed magic and what the Wizarding world had given him. The beautiful roof above his head, the premier school, a much healthier mother… He wanted none of it and he made that blatant to Tansy. Old habits die hard with the boy and he made certain that Tansy knew she was not welcome near him. He muttered about how she was evil, abnormal, a freak, and even made mention that he also didn't approve of how often Mr Enright was around. Even though he knew that she couldn't use magic on him he still stayed away, because Tansy had done things she 'wasn't allowed to do' before she went away to magic school. What was to stop her now? So the verbal harassment was all Tansy had to deal with and she'd done it for more than 3 years.

In fact, she found that his attempts now were weak in comparison and she couldn't help but dish them back. _What'd you do to get expelled? Do you really think acting like this is going to bring you back to Burnley? I'm going to be your sister now._ And oh, did it feel good to have the roles reversed. Tansy and Gordon were the golden children, not the oafish Hobson.

Hobson was to start school after the break at the local Rye secondary. That meant that his mother could keep a firm eye on him when he came home, having lost the privilege of going away to some expensive school. It reminded Tansy a lot of when she had been going to primary school and getting in trouble, Esta tightening the leash on her till she felt like she was suffocating.

 _It will do him well to finally have some structure. He was really the only one who never listened,_ she thought, reviewing her notes for Hogwarts. Tansy was keen on keeping her wit sharp and not forgetting anything she had learned. Though, that was unlikely seeing she had the same impeccable memory as her father. She'd showed Esta her pictures and the woman insisted on getting frames for them.

"I can see your mother with your hair and fair skin… But you look more like your father in my opinion," Esta told her, looking at the photos, fanning herself slightly. "Certainly a tall, dark, and handsome type…" the woman let out a low breath before sitting the frame back on her nightstand with the others. "I know I as you about your classes often, but what about friends? You mentioned the Rosewood twins and I know the boy next door also goes to Hogwarts."

Tansy was sitting on her bed with Pumpkin sprawled on her lap. "I've made some friends. The twins are like my study partners and were originally my only friends, but due to being in Ravenclaw, I don't get to see them as much as those in my house. I get along with them all, but there's a boy and a girl that have really gotten close to me. The boy is named Ramsay Cavallero and the girl Nova Newtly. They're both a lot more… outgoing than I am, which is why I think we get along."

"And what about the boy next door?"

"Jasper Ironly? He's in Gryffindor," she nearly spat the words, bewildering Esta.

"Oh dear… Well, put on a good face then. They've invited us over for dinner tonight and I already accepted," Esta gave a weary smile. "I got you a new dress too, I just hope it fits. You've grown a couple of inches since I last saw you."

"Have I?" Tansy hadn't noticed, she still felt quite short.

"You have," she confirmed, picking up the parcel that had an emerald dress folded up inside. "It's simple, but I thought the color would be nice. Plus, you're in Slytherin so the green fits, right?"

The dress was not fancy, just a simple material, long sleeve with a white collar. She could wear stockings beneath it and a pair of nice loafers and be done with it. Tansy wasn't much of a dress girl, but she understood that some events required nicer attire.

"I like it, I'll freshen up so I am presentable for the dinner. Who else is going?"

"Coleman and Gordon, I don't trust Hobson to be on his best behavior and he is still grounded. I have a sitter coming here to watch him for a few hours," Esta grumbled, running her fingers back through her honey curls in exasperation. "I don't get that boy. We have everything we could wish for now and he continues to act like we're riffraff."

"Maybe… Auntie, you should try talking to him? Maybe there is something else going on that you can't see?" Tansy suggested in a delicate voice, not trying to rouse Esta's temper.

Even so, Esta gave her a sharp look, as if the child questioning her parenting abilities was over the line. But after a moment her eyes relaxed. "Perhaps there is something bothering him…" she drawled, standing up and stretching her back. "Go ahead and get ready, I want you to look like a little porcelain doll."

Following instructions, Tansy freshened up, slipped on her dress, and braided her hair down her back. She found the crimson brooch that the goblins at Gringotts had given her and pinned it to her left breast. Eventually, she joined Esta and Mr Enright down in the den where they were putting their coats on. Gordon materialized a moment later in a fine sweater, a button down peeping from underneath, a set of khaki trousers, and dress shoes. His golden hair was neatly combed over and he beamed at his mother.

"You think we'll see some magic tonight?" Gordon inquired excitedly.

"We might, the Ironlys are a very old and prestigious family," Mr Enright informed him.

Miss Juniper, a young woman from the town, appeared to babysit Hobson and they were off to the house next door. Being on the outskirts of Rye, there was more distance between the houses than the epicenter of the village, where the houses were stacked up on top of each other. The garden wall might have been a small barrier between them, but the walk down the dirt road led them to a house twice the size of their own with an enormous front garden as well.

A house elf opened the front door for them and offered to take their coats. Tansy only knew what the strange, large eared creature was because she had once asked who made their food at Hogwarts. While they were handing their coats off, a tall, slender man appeared in the lobby to greet them. He had a dark wash of hair and sunkissed skin, though his features were a bit pensive and his eyes gaunt.

Delighted that his guests had arrived, he introduced himself. "A wonderful honor to have guests in our house. It's been so long. I am Cline Ironly," he put his hand out and shook Mr Enright's first, after he took Esta's hand, kissing the back of her palm. The motion made her giggle, cheeks flushing, which seemed to ruffle Mr Enright up. But when he glanced up from pressing his lips on her hand, he was staring at Tansy.

The girl shifted uncomfortably as he shook hands with Gordon and then approached her. "And you must be little Tansy Belmont. I've heard so much about you," but she did not offer him her hand, keeping them in her dress pockets, smiling warily at him.

Esta looked as if she were going to say something when Mr Enright butt in. "It really is our honor to be here. Thank you so much for the invitation." Tansy couldn't have been more grateful for the gangly wizard's presence as Mr Ironly drew away.

"It is not often that we have new faces in Rye, especially those that move right next to us. Please, follow me and I shall give you a tour of the manse," Mr Ironly gestured for them to follow.

" _Manse_? Did he really just call this place a manse?" Gordon whispered to Tansy, trying to contain a fit of laughter.

The house was certainly enormous, with high cathedral ceilings. But it was cold, all stone walls and dark polished wooden floors. There was no electricity, so scones and candles lit their paths. Nothing about the 'manse' was homey. Sure, pictures were hung from the walls, but they were grave paintings of Ironlys past and present. Medieval banners also hung from the rafters, similar to that of a castle. And the furniture were old, beautiful wood antiques that basked in the darkness that they went through. Strange how the house appeared just as all of the other Rye homes; a quaint small town feel with ivy and flowers (when the season permitted) crawling up the sides.

Eventually, they ended up in a large dining room that had already been prepared for the evening. At that point, Mrs Ironly appeared and she was like a ray of sunshine in a musky dungeon. She had light brown hair and a smile that illuminated the room. Tansy saw where Jasper had gotten most of his looks from.

"Good evening," she greeted. "I'm so excited to have you here. Please, take a seat. Jasper should be down here soon."

Tansy sat in between Gordon and Esta. There was an uncomfortable bit of silence as Mrs Ironly disappeared and they sat there awkwardly, waiting for the more charismatic host to return. She appeared again, this time with Jasper in tow, and he looked absolutely _miserable_. Tansy could recall him saying that all of his family had been in Slytherin. She didn't have to wonder how well that had turned out for him as she sat across from them glumly.

Mrs Ironly began the conversation about what the adults did, though when Esta revealed she worked for the local knittery shop creating handmade clothing, quilts, and blankets the topic immediately shifted to Mr Enright before she could really gush about how much she adored getting to work from home most of the time. Even when it changed to Mr Enright, his job working in Muggle Relations was also shifted and went to the Ironlys. Apparently, Mr Ironly was an investor and would give loans to businesses that he thought were going to do well while having his hand in the honey pot if they did succeed. Mrs Ironly did some writing for the Daily Prophet about home life, to which Tansy noticed seemed to be very similar to Mrs Rosewood's Witch's Weekly.

"I hear that Tansy is a Slytherin. The majority of our family has been Slytherin. It is a great honor," Mr Ironly commented without looking at his son.

"Yes, Tansy is doing quite well as school. She's one of the top in her class," Esta boasted, beaming at the girl.

"Is she now?" everything about Mr Ironly struck Tansy as a little bit creepy. "What do you hope to do once you graduate Tansy? Or are you still deciding?"

"I want to hunt dark creatures and beings, just like my parents did," Tansy answered immediately.

"Like an Auror?" Mrs Ironly asked.

"No, not an Auror. I want to hunt creatures. A _Hunter_. I don't believe it's a common job around here, but in Romania, my family was known for being the best," Tansy corrected.

"Are you certain? That's a very dangerous job, look how it turned out for your parents."

Even if Mrs Ironly gave a quick little smile, as if her words hadn't meant to sting, Tansy nearly leapt up from her seat and threw her napkin down. Mr Enright, having been ruffled from the very moment they stepped through the door, also glared at Mrs Ironly.

Steading her breathing, Tansy placed a wry smile on her face. "Yes, my parents died from it. But at least they weren't sitting at home, plagiarizing witches' health articles from Witch's Weekly." Tansy was impressed by how crisp and smooth her voice was, despite the rage that boiled in her stomach.

Mrs Ironly's jaw dropped at Tansy's gall. Before either Ironly could say anything, Mr Enright stood up. "I believe it is time we take our leave. Thank you for your gracious hosting. We'll see ourselves to the door," he bid, but there was no warmth in the man's tone.

Rounding them up, they hurried for the front door, leaving the aristocrats stunned at the dining table. The moment that they were outside, Esta was glaring daggers at Tansy.

"Now why would you go and say that?" the woman snapped.

"They were insulting us the entire dinner!" Tansy hissed.

"She's right, Esta, from the moment we walked in we were nothing but lowly commonfolk with the honor of their presence. It only became more clear when they barely let us talk, instead always flipping the subject to themselves so they could brag," Mr Enright sighed, running his fingers back through his flaxen hair.

"Auntie, I think that dinner was intended to be a joke. They invited us over to show you that you weren't worthy of what you have. How many pureblood families have you met that will openly invite a squib family over for dinner?" Tansy didn't mean to sound harsh, but Esta had been clueless.

The woman was absolutely horrified. "I just thought… Maybe they knew my family and had looked past no magic," she whimpered, hands on her cheeks.

"It was a show of 'look at what we have and look how pitiful you are'," Gordon also had been mildly uncomfortable the entire time. "Did you see the look on that boy's face? He wouldn't even look at us the entire dinner."

"I haven't felt so insulted in nearly 20 years! Well, two can play at this game and they've just alienated their next door neighbor and I can be quite a bitch," Esta said, unlocking the front door to the cottage. "Magic or not. I'll make them regret crossing us!"

* * *

Christmas morning was the first Christmas in Tansy's memory that they'd each had more than one present. Stacked beneath the tree were a plethora of presents and each of the children were delighted. Even Hobson received gifts despite his poor attitude and behavior.

Tansy received a handful of new books from Flourish and Blotts. She was already thumbing through them before she even opened all of her gifts. She also received some new clothing, a nice pair of loafers for school, and several articles that Esta had made herself. This included a large Slytherin quilt, an emerald scarf beautifully crocheted with matching hat and gloves to go along with them, and a little cross-stitch embroidered pillow of Pumpkin.

The boys received the latest gaming system, several games, new clothes, bicycles, and new clothing as well.

Underneath the trees were a few parcels that had been delivered by owls. A couple belonged to Tansy from her great uncle; in a box from the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes was Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, Decoy Detonators, and a Shield Cloak. Another package was from Ramsay, brightly colored in Spanish paper, and inside was a green opal necklace.

"Wow, I don't think I've seen one of these in a long time," Mr Enright said, inspecting the necklace in his hand. "Whoever sent you this must care a lot for you."

Gordon seized the letter along with it. "It's from a boy! Tansy has a boyfriend!"

Tansy snatched the letter away from him, scowling, cheeks burning.

Enright chuckled, hanging it back to her. "Or a very good friend. This is a Spanish Warding Necklace. If the wearer drinks poison, the opal with shatter and protect the wearer. Most often people just wear them because they look nice… Unless you're expecting someone to poison you."

The necklace was on a long silver chain that could hide the pendant underneath her shirt. Now she felt kind of bad for only sending him the hat and scarf that Esta had made for her friends. "Hopefully not," Tansy grumbled as she slipped the long chain over head head.

Esta had received new clothes that would fit her, many of which were more conservative and wellmade than her old 'fine attire'. Tansy had a feeling that many of the outfits had actually been purchased as witch clothing stores, rather than muggle. Along with a pair of leather boots that Tansy had picked out and more crafts material, everyone, including Mr Enright have a bountiful Christmas.

The remainder of the holiday was spent exploring the contents of her new book and delving deeper into the journal. However, when she reached halfway through the pages, she hit a wall. The title of the next section was written in a different handwriting and she could only read the title.

' _For the path which you are about to tread_

 _All knowledge before must be acquired'_

Tansy didn't know _how_ the journal was aware that she hadn't learned everyone of Ian's spells, but when she flipped through the pages afterward, the writing was absolute gibberish. She wanted to throw the book against the wall and decided to tuck it away until she felt like attempting the sleuth of spells that Ian had created.

While at home, she received letters from all of her friends, detailing their holiday breaks. Before the end of the holiday, she requested to visit her uncle. Mr Enright took her up to London, dropping her off in front of the wand shop. Diagon Alley had a thick blanket of snow and was nowhere near as busy as it had been when she was purchasing her school supplies. She had been writing to Garrick, but actually meeting him as her uncle had made her nervous.

She opened the front door, bell tinkling as she entered. The shop appeared the exact same as a few months prior, a thin layer of dust coating everything. Sitting behind the small desk was Garrick Ollivander, whispy white hair and spectacles falling down his nose. He glanced up, expecting a customer, and his eyes brightened at the sight of Tansy.

For a moment, there was an awkward silence, a thousand words unspoken between them as they stared. Finally, Tansy moved forward and approached him.

"Merry Christmas," she bit, placing a small gift in front of him.

Garrick appeared just as uncertain of what to do, but he gave her a good natured smile and glanced at the parcel. "I'm glad to see that my gift is being put to good use," he referred to the shield cloak that she had around her shoulders.

"Yes, I just hope that maybe you could make use of that as well," her eyes flitted to the box.

Garrick inspected it and then opened it to reveal fairy wings. "How did you acquire these?"

"In my garden. Unfortunately, a fairy had frozen to death and when I brought it to Mr Enright, he said there was nothing we could do for it. He gave me the wings after and I read that they can be used for wands," Tansy explained.

"Yes, fairies wings make for good charms, since they are light and airy. Most wizards who have the Sight almost always have fairy wings as their core. While they are well rounded, they cannot cast hexes. I can certainly make good use of these," he told her.

"Maybe I can keep sending you more wand materials. I plan on being a Hunter just like my father," Tansy informed him.

"While dragon heartstrings and phoenix feathers tend to produce the best results, experimenting with other cores can prove to be beneficial. Why don't you come around back with me?"

Tansy followed Ollivander to the back of the store where his workshop was. This was where the wand crafting happened. Collected neatly in various containers, jars, and boxes were the woods and cores.

"Would you mind helping me with these wands? I've gotten old and sometimes it takes too much energy for me to test them myself. If you could perform a variety of spells on each on that dummy over there?"

Across from the work area was a battered, leather and metal mannequin.

"Sure," Tansy said, waiting for the first wand to be handed to her.

Garrick gave her a veela hair wand, which was very displeased to be used by a non-veela blood. She cast a successful charm, but in other areas the wand was quite lacking, only producing meager results. They went through a few wands, each performing better in certain areas and failing in others. One wand, Garrick refused to tell her what was in it.

She found out after the spell backfired spectacularly, sticking her hair up in all direction.

"Erumpent hide?" she asked.

"Erumpent hide! Oh, that needs a balancing core, but I was hoping it wouldn't be so punchy."

"I've seen a Gryffindor's wand backfire on him often," Tansy accepted a rag to wipe her face off with.

"How is your wand performing? I was a bit worried giving you that one. The core is very temperamental," Garrick said as she pulled hers out of her pocket.

"Very well, I've had no issues with it so far."

Garrick inspected the fine lines of the wand and then frowned. "Oh dear, it's cracking."

" _What?_ " Tansy sidled up beside him, glancing under the magnifying arm to see the little lines that her uncle was talking about. "What does that mean?"

"A combination of things. It means that the core is too strong for the wood and it could also be you."

"Can it be fixed?"

"Right now, I wouldn't worry about it unless the cracks split open and reveal the core. In that case, the hair will be unusable. Unfortunately, the thestral hair is prone to doing this. Only one wand successfully held up against the core and that was the Elder Wand."

"So I'll need another wand soon then, huh?" Tansy had loved her wand, it worked so exceptionally with her and to find out that it was on its last leg.

"Yes, by next year you will need another one. I didn't expect this wand to do this so quickly," Garrick lifted his spectacles and smiled at her. "You're quite the young witch. Your parents would be proud of you."

Tansy tried not to get choked up, swallowing the lump in her throat as she glanced up at him with watery eyes. It meant _so_ much to her that someone who had known her parents said that. Clearing her throat, she managed a shaky smile. "Do you think if I find a wand core at school, I can send it to you?"

"Hm, yes we can experiment with whatever you may find. What were you thinking you'd find?"

"I don't know… But _if_ I do," Tansy said.

Tansy spent the rest of the afternoon with her great uncle. He gave her a spare wand with a dragon heartstring core to use as a backup if her own wand broke before predicted. She left the shop with a smile, sad to leave London and her uncle behind.


	10. Year One: CH 10 - Shattering Cries

Hogwarts was covered in snow when they returned from their Christmas break. Tansy was elated to be back. Being home hadn't been bad, but she had found there wasn't much to do other than read. Back at Hogwarts, she was greeted by all of the friends, whose breaks seemed a lot more exciting than her own. Ramsay had been sailing in Madrid, exploring the Spanish countryside with his family of adventure seekers. Nova had gone to South Africa and been to various greenhouses that her family owned to prepare rare magical plants. Even the Rosewood twins had gone to celebrate their Christmas in New York City where they were able to watch the ball drop for New Years.

On their way to herbology, Tansy asked the twins, "Do you know of the Ironlys?"

"Friends of the Ibexes of course. Talia Ironly is actually in a lawsuit with our mother," Lee informed her.

"A _lawsuit_? Over what?"

"Our mother is suing her for plagiarism and defamation. Been ongoing for a few months now and Talia's portion in the paper has been discontinued until the case is settled. I doubt she'll be able to start back up after, there's a lot of evidence against her, including the letters from their group of friends that mother received in the mail," Megan grinned. "How'd you learn about that?"

"We live next to the Ironlys and they invited us for dinner. When Mrs Ironly started talking about her section, I thought it sounded a lot like Witch's Weekly. Uh… other things happened as well, but it makes me feel better that she was bragging about something she can't even publish anymore."

"You had dinner with the _Ironlys_? I assume that didn't go very well," Lee speculated.

"Ended up leaving after I insulted them back, didn't realize my insult hit closer to home," Tansy snickered.

"Did you guys see this?!" Nova came running down the hall, clutching a paper in her hand. She bared the front page, revealing the symbol that had been cast over the Quidditch Pitch. "Look, it's happening in other places too. This one happened at Banchory Bangers Quidditch match, but no one caught the assailant this time. The article describes that this had happened at Hogwarts and they've since interrogated the dark wizard. ' _No suspect has given any information in regards to the symbol, but it is believed that the mark is related to the sacrificial killings occurring across the Scottish countryside._ '"

"Merlin's Beard, do you think they're going to come back here?" Lee asked nervously, glancing at the paper of the shifting goat's head mark.

"I don't doubt it. They came here first, but I bet they're just waiting for the proper time to strike. With the Aurors around, there isn't much they can do. But do you really believe they're going to say here longer than the rest of the year?" Nova inquired thoughtfully.

"At this rate, they'll have to. Unless they catch the cult or stop these murders."

The question weighed heavy on Tansy all day. When they entered Charms, Flitwick was insistent on teaching them the Silencing Charm, a spell that wasn't usually taught until their 5th year. Many students simply took notes about it, but Tansy wanted to know why they were rushing certain spells.

"Why do you think we're learning the Silencing Charm so early?" she asked Ramsay and Nova after class.

"Maybe a change in curriculum?" Ramsay shrugged.

"There is _no_ way. What would a Silencing Charm before good for?" her eyes went to Nova for an answer.

"A fwooper I suppose, but those are from Africa. Won't see one flying around here anytime soon," Nova responded

"A banshee maybe?" Ramsay added.

"A banshee?... A banshee!" Tansy placed her fist in her palm. "I think I have some notes on them," reaching into her bag she pulled out her grandfather's journal. She recalled a banshee being one of his topics. "Ah, here we go. ' _A banshee's scream is fatal and requires either a potent Silencing Charm or Laughing Potion. Any who hear the banshee's scream will perish. Seemingly related to dementors in one way or another, they are classified as dark beings, although there have been a few banshees that have proven to have the will to be harmless rather than malevolent. Never assume a banshee is the latter. Immediately silence a banshee on sight and follow it up with the Holy Sword spell, which can destroy the spirit's form._ '"

"A banshee near Hogwarts? If there is one, why haven't the professors taken care of it with that sword spell?"

Tansy didn't want to tell them that the professors likely did not know about the spell she mentioned, but felt as if that would lead to more questions. However, when they went to Defense Against the Dark Arts, when expected the lesson to be on banshees, it was instead on werewolves. Perhaps it had only just been a change in the curriculum, but if so, it was one that was exceptionally more challenging than what it was originally supposed to be and Flitwick had already mentioned their class worked a bit slower than others.

While packing up her things, Professor Otters paused by her desk to address her, once the last of the students filed out. "How was your vacation, Belmont?" she asked cordially.

"It was good professor and yourself?"

"Good… Our lessons will continue as before. Any questions?"

"Why are you offering me these extra lessons?"

Professor Otters paused, contemplating her response. "You are an exceptional student, one with Defense in your blood."

"And it doesn't have to deal with what is going on in the paper?"

The woman's gaze did not falter. "No it does not."

 _You're lying,_ Tansy thought, staring her right in the eye. Nodding, she shouldered her bag and smiled at the professor. "Very well, thank you professor. I shall see you tomorrow."

The questions only mounted in Tansy's head. She kept her eye on all of the professors, noticing a slight change in them. There was a nervousness to them, small twitches like glances over the shoulder or they were rushing new material that was not originally scheduled. The first week back left her with more questions than answers and her dreams were plagued with banshees and the bloody mark in the Quidditch Pitch. Wizards couldn't control banshees, could they?

* * *

A large bonfire roared in the center of a glade, deep within a forest that few trekked this deep. The moon was full, glinting madly against those who dancing around the flames. They wore dark robes and strange, animal-like masks that were ghoulish and marred. Beneath them, a pentagram had been drawn to encircle the fire. Low chanting hummed over the din of the fire and dancing, sounding almost like incantations. Voices rising in a lilting crescendo, one of the several figures threw a handful of powder into the flames.

The flames screeched and reached greedily at the sky as it were trying to catch the moon, shifting from orange to a deep and violent black outlined in white. Suddenly, in unison, they drew knives and cut their palms. Dancing ceased and each held their bloody hands to the flames, chanting growing louder and more terrible.

What came next, he had never seen before. The obsidian hellfire snapped flat like a mirror, no longer in the shape of fire. One of the summoners cocked their masked head and gazed into the mirror, as if they saw something looking back.

"It has chosen me. It has chosen me," they whispered, reaching their hand through the dark window. When they removed it a stump remained, but the figure did not cry out or scream. Instead a delightful chuckle escaped their lips before they flung themself entirely into the portal.

The remaining shadows joined hands, beginning to sway as the incantations resumed. Now, the fire was taking various shapes, first that of a basilisk, then a dementor, then a wraith, it moved so swiftly, panning between the multitude of dark beings before it sprang high into the sky and crashed back down like an abysmal wave, guttering against its embers. A deep, maniacal laugh caused the short flames to shudder and suddenly, a creature materialized from the coals.

It wore the black robes of the ritualist that had willingly sacrificed themself, but was no human. His skin was slate and marble-like in appearance, akin to a gargoyle. Great horns curled down around his face, which to some, might have been viewed as eerily beautiful. Perhaps he had once been a man or some angelic creature, but when he opened his eyes they were a deep bloody crimson, scleras just as dark as his robes. Long, lank hair fell down to his chest, ears pointing from underneath his hair.

The wizards before him crumpled to the ground, groveling at his bare feet.

" _I am Asmodeus, bear witness to my birth on earth once again,_ " he told him, his voice deep and regal. " _Rise, you are my loyal subjects and I shall not forget your loyalty and sacrifice… But is this all of you?"_

"Your grace, it has taken us many attempts to succeed in your summoning. We have lost many of our own and since the return of Lord Voldemort…"

Asmodeus barked a laugh. " _Ah yes, we have been watching that one. We thought of adding him to our ranks, but alas, he was defeated by a mother's love,_ " he stepped forward and glanced up at the moon. " _Then our first mission is to gather strength. Fate shows that Lord Voldemort will be defeated for good and while the Wizarding Realm grows careless and relaxed after his passing, we will continue to build our cause. A new earth. A utopia._ "

"Where should we begin, your grace?"

" _We will need more of my brethren. They are all trapped on that accursed plane. We will need Belias' skill next, but he will take time and resources to summon_ ," Asmodeus glanced down at his hands, seeing the grey fingers and jagged black talons. " _This will not do…_ " he murmured before raising his arms. His cloak billowed around him and when he reached up and slammed his palms together, no longer was a demon standing before the cultists, but a handsome man. His hair was long and pale, horns, talons, and fangs were gone. Crystal clear amethyst eyes glanced back at his followers. "Wand?"

One offered it to him before scurrying away, falling back down onto a knee. Asmodeus raised the wand and threw a red light into the sky. It popped and the face of a goatish creature floated above them. While the light quavered, Asmodeus glanced down, narrowing his eyes as he noticed something.

"We're not alone," he commented, pointing his wand to the tree he was hiding behind. " _Avada Kedavra!_ "

* * *

Tansy woke up, sitting up swiftly as she felt gooseflesh prickling and her hair standing straight up. She didn't know what she had just witnessed, but it reminded her of her first dream. But this… She wrapped her hands around herself to try and calm the shaking. But when she closed her eyes, all she could see was Asmodeus' face imprinted in her brain.

 _He did it. He killed my father_ , she thought as she rocked herself.

Unable to sleep for the rest of the night, Tansy clutched her wand tightly to her chest, and jumped at every bump in the night.

Once it was dawn, Tansy immediately went to seek Professor Otters. It wasn't customary for students to rouse professors at that hour, but she felt it absolutely necessary.

"Tansy? What are you doing here so early?" the professor was still in her nightgown.

"Asmodeus, Asmodeus killed my father. He's the one leading the cult. I saw it, I saw him do it," Tansy blabbed, eyes stretched wide, bags beneath her eyes from remaining awake all night. Otters had believed her before when she had explained her dreams.

"Asmodeus?" Professor Otters echoed uncertainly. "You just had a nightmare, Tansy. Not everything in your dreams is real and after learning about your parents… It's entirely possible that your mind is trying to rationalize his death. Creating someone to seek out… To pin the blame on."

Her cheeks became rosy with fury as Otters shut her down. "You weren't there. You wouldn't understand what it's like to see through someone else's eyes and witness their final moments," she spat, whirling around and running back down the hall. She was so upset that the professor she was closest too had brushed her off, that she stayed in bed all day, trying to remember every bit of the dream. She was lounging in the common room when Nova and Ramsay returned from classes.

"Bloody hell you look awful," Nova commented, throwing her bag down and taking a seat beside her.

"Haven't been able to sleep," Tansy murmured.

" _Also_ thanks for making me look like an idiot in class today. We learned about banshees in Defense and when I said they could be defeated by the Holy Sword spell, Otters just looked at me like I was pulling crap out of my butt," Ramsay hissed, plopping down in another nearby chair.

"That's because she doesn't know the spell," Tansy replied, her anxiousness and sleep deprivation making her lips looser than typical.

"How would our Defense professor not know a spell to kill a dark creature?"

"Because a Belmont created the spell!" Tansy snapped, harsher than intended.

"Then it's that journal, isn't it? The one you just said belonged to your family?" Nova gestured to the small leather pad on Tansy's lap.

"Yes… and it contains many spells that can be used against dark creatures."

"Does Otters know?" Ramsay softened his voice this time, noticing how distressed his friend was.

"No, I've all but kept this journal a secret. Only I can read it and I was afraid she'd force me to rewrite it. My grandfather had to have his reasons for not publishing this for all wizards to utilize," Tansy sighed, picking it up, inspecting the wolf sigil lock.

"Is that what's kept you up all last night?" Nova questioned.

"No… I had a dream…" Tansy launched into the details of the dream and how she had one before about wraiths and that was why Otters was giving her extra lessons. However, upon telling Otters this time, the professor brushed her off. "And I don't understand why she would. I've never heard the name Asmodeus before and it sounds old."

Both her friends were slight perturbed by the details of the dark dream. "Maybe you should ask Professor Trelawney. If you're seeing the past, that had something to do with Divination, right?" Nova speculated. "And we should probably get you some sleep potion. You need to sleep."

The trio set off to visit Professor Trelawney, who was still up in her tower. The woman's huge coke bottle glasses made her eyes seem huge. She blinked, curious as to why a few first years were there as she did not teach students until their third year.

"Can I help you?" she asked in a soft, quavering voice.

"Professor, I know it's not customary for our year to bother you, but our friend has been having strange dreams and we thought you might be able to help," Ramsay explained, ushering Tansy in front of him.

They hadn't realized how fickle Trelawney was and when Tansy approached her to begin with her dream, Trelawney took her hand and began inspecting the fine lines. "You know…" she began, tracing her fingers over a line. "This one intersects, it signifies that you are bound to meet one of your blood."

"I know, I've met my great uncle Garrick," Tansy told her, growing a bit impatient.

"Not him. Someone _else_. Oh there is so much toil here, a life filled with danger and strife-"

Tansy jerked her hand away from the woman, already upset from the dream. She didn't need Trelawney putting more on top of that. " _Professor_ my dreams."

Trelawney motioned for them to sit with her and as Tansy unloaded, the woman nodded slightly her wild hair fluffing up around her.

"It sounds to me as if you have a link with your father and you are able to glean his memories. It is not unheard of… I believe that Harry Potter had similar dreams, though none as detailed as yours. What you don't know is what may have been changed. Dreams this precise, this detailed, tend to have people that are swapped or incantations that are wrong. Interpret the dream as you will, but you don't really know fact from fiction unless you discover more information about what you saw in the future."

Tansy had been hoping that Trelawney might know something about Asmodeus, but her explanation of the dreams did make her feel better… slightly. Maybe she had changed what really happened that night. Maybe Asmodeus wasn't some sort of monster and was a man or a wizard. Maybe his name wasn't even Asmodeus.

She found that she didn't need the sleep potion and was able to crash the moment her head touched the pillow. Classes resumed as before and now that she had her head screwed on straight, she could focus on the subjects that were getting plowed into them. Lee had already insisted that they begin studying and preparing for finals. On the other hand, Nova and Ramsay wanted to know more about what lie inside of her family journal. She had never intended for them to find out, but even so, they weren't cross with her for hiding it. They understood that the contents of the journal had been meant for Belmonts and Tansy had been trying to protect its secrets.

After classes and before dinner, sometimes they would go down by the lake where a gathering of trees obscured those who walked between them. No one really came down here, especially in the winter where there was usually snow. And so, Tansy taught them the spells she had learned and worked on honing her own skill with them. Teaching the spells actually gave Tansy a better understanding, as Nova and Ramsay could bounce ideas and theories of their own that Tansy hadn't thought of.

"Maybe, we should all become Hunters together one day," Nova gushed as they were returning to Hogwarts for the dinner banquet.

"We're all pretty stellar at Defense and we each have our own strengths. Nova is great with hexes and jinxes and herbology, Tansy you're amazing with just spellwork in general, even transfiguration, and I'm great with flying, charms, and potions. Where each of us lacks, the other makes up for it," Ramsay pointed out.

"And let's not forget, I'm great with these hands too if anyone wants to catch them," Nova raised her fists and grinned wildly.

"We just can't let anyone know about these spells. These are _our_ secret weapons," Tansy insisted, receiving a nod from the both of them. They were her true friends, those that she trusted with her life at this point. Tansy was fond of the twins, but she didn't experience Hogwarts with them as she did with Nova and Ramsay always at her side.

Nova was bullheaded and strong. She'd speak her mind and wasn't afraid of any sort of backlash. She was a terrific person to have on your team and a terrible witch to be enemies with. Full of attitude and incredibly blunt, Nova was more cunning than some took her to be. Her tongue was like a whip and she always knew what topics were sore with people and when she needed to, she'd strike right where it hurt. She was a fierce friend and never backed down from a challenge, but perhaps that was her downfall. Nova was too proud.

Ramsay was the relaxed one, always seeming as if he were slacking off, when in actuality, he took in his surroundings constantly. Alert, quick, and cautious, Ramsay was always coiled to strike. He was charismatic and able to befriend anyone who would give him the time and many girls adored him for not only his talent in Quidditch, but his exceptional work in classes. Although, he did tend to have issues with subjects that did not spark his interest. With how much attention he received, Ramsay could sometimes get big headed and snide. Of course, Nova would remind him when he crossed the line, but Ramsay had a bit of an ego and only believed one person surpassed him.

Tansy was the natural with an impeccable memory. Her skills in magic were always there and while she studied relentlessly, Ramsay always joked that she never needed to. Tansy just had ' _it_ '. She was reserved like a sentinel that drank in her surroundings. She would talk when she felt necessary and didn't have a taste for showing off. She preferred her skills remained hidden and didn't like to stir the pot. She would avoid conflict with others, even at the cost of her own dignity, because she knew. Knew that she had the upper hand around others the same age as her and that one day, she'd repay them the favor. Her downfalls were that she could become obsessive over certain topics to the point of madness and that she could also be vain and begrudging. Tansy, like an elephant, never forgot.

"We should name ourselves something. Kind of like Harry Potter's group was the Golden Trio," Ramsay absolutely adored Harry Potter and that was no secret.

"A name? Seems kind of stupid to me," Nova grumbled, arching a brow at Tansy to see her thoughts on it.

"Well if we do all become Hunters together, don't you think we should have a name? That way if we're going to get hired they can say, 'Who we gonna call…'" Ramsay glanced between them.

"Don't say it," Tansy moaned. Ramsay had also told them how he had been watching muggle movies all break with his cousin who was muggle borne.

"Ghostbusters! Only, we wouldn't be Ghostbusters of course," he grinned, making the two girls groan.

" _Speaking_ of ghosts…" Nova muttered, nodding down the hall.

Peeves had made another appearance, toddling in front of another first year, not allowing them to pass.

"Just walk through him!" Nova shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth.

Peeves turned around, having heard her. "That's not very nice!"

"Peeves, go away or we'll go get the Bloody Baron to deal with you. He'll come right away too, we're in Slytherin," Ramsay told him, pointing to their green scarves.

Peeves sneered, turning back to student once more, made a rude face, and then went on his way. The student he had been tormenting was a Hufflepuff by the name of Gene Appletree.

"You alright Gene?" Ramsay inquired.

"He was saying the most _terrible_ things. How a woman with floor length hair was coming and how she would get me if I was out of bed again. I didn't mean to get out of bed, I sleep walk sometimes and once I woke up because Filch found me," Gene whimpered.

"Peeves is a liar and a trickster. Don't believe anything he says," Nova told him coarsely. "Just threaten him with the Bloody Baron if he bothers you again. That usually does the trick."

Gene nodded slowly, following them back into the sheltered halls of the school and to the Great Hall where the last of the students were filing in. Their dinner appeared to be going normally until the sky above them grew dark and the candles began to gutter. Confusion consumed the hall as a thin, high screech caused a few people to grow restless. McGonagall stood up, eyes gazing above them as she tried to discern what was going on.

A low voice made the entire hall tremble, speaking in a foreign language so foul and dark that the lights of the candles seemed to shy away from it. The dark speech was interrupted by the professors using their own magic to silence it, McGonagall immediately announcing, "Prefects take control of your houses and escort them back to their dormitories."

No one knew what was going on, but they all followed the directions that were given. Hushed voices spoke to one another, trying to figure out what had just happened.

"Hey, look over there," Nova hissed, pointing in the direction of a few students who broke off from their houses and headed for the courtyard. In the rush, no one seemed to notice that these students had loped off. One passed by, close to them, and when they saw her face, it was pale, her eyes glazed over as she left the safety of the group.

Tansy's ring had been itching the entire feast and she could now see why.

"I think they're bewitched," Ramsay said in horror. "Do you think that voice did it to them?"

"Whatever is going on, we can't let them go where they're going. By the time the prefects take accountability and realize these people are missing it may be too late," Tansy murmured, glancing between her companions.

The trio followed the group of bewitched students that were making their way to the courtyard. However, the did not stop once they got outside, continuing down the path and toward the lake that had frozen over for the winter. Above them, the sky was dark, vacant of any moons or stars.

"Is that… Delta?" Nova gasped.

"They're all… the muggle borne students."

But the whole student body of muggle borne students was not there. Only about ten children were in front of them and many were those in their first few years of schooling. The group paused at the frozen lake, arranging themselves in a line on the shore. Mist lapped at their feet like the waves of the water and the moon, having been obscured up until this point, revealed itself, illuminating a silhouette that stood on the surface of the frozen lake.

The first student took a step toward it.

"We need to stop them," Ramsay growled, reaching for his wand, but it was Nova who acted first.

" _Immobolus!_ " Nova screeched, freezing all of the students where they stood. She glanced over at them. "I'll keep them tethered here."

Tansy raised her own wand and projected a stream of red sparks into the air, sending them as high as she could. She prayed that someone, perhaps a professor, would notice them and come to investigate. Turning her eyes back to Ramsay, she nodded.

They stepped out onto the lake, walking slowly as to not lose their footing on the slick surface. Whatever was waiting, did not move. The mist grew thicker as they approached and due to the light the moon was refracting against the frozen water, they could not tell what it was. However, it seemed this also worked in their favor and the figure simply waited for them to approach. Tendrils of dread snaked toward them, sinking into their hearts as they grew closer.

Exchanging glances, the two leveled their wands. Few things could create such a miserable feeling and it wasn't dark enough to be a dementor.

"Get ready," Tansy whispered.

"I'll silence it," Ramsay told her.

The banshee floated above the sheet of ice in a long, tattered black gown. Her hair fell all the way to the floor, her face a sickly green, and eyes were nothing more than gaunt black holes. When she noticed that they were not bewitched, she opened her mouth to let out a fatal wail.

" _Silencio!_ " Ramsay snapped and when the banshee screamed, nothing came out.

" _Sanctus gladio,_ " the spell was still difficult to manage, but in the face of the dark being, she had only one thing on her mind. Removing her wand in a sweeping motion, like a sword from a scabbard, she pointed the invisible blade toward the banshee.

The spirit, having no ability to kill them with a scream, lurched forward.

Tansy slashed once, catching the banshee across the chest. She opened her mouth to screech in pain, only a choked hiss coming out. When the banshee came again, Tansy didn't lose her focus, rather her wand gave. A sickening crack and when she glanced at her wand, she could visibly see the core. Absolute horror took over her as the banshee crashed into her, slamming her against the ice.

Breath knocked out of her, Tansy felt the banshee's claws digging into her flesh and she felt… Water?

"Run! The ice is breaking!" Tansy screamed as the banshee grabbed her by the shoulders and slammed her hard against the ice again.

Before Ramsay could help her, the ice fractured beneath her. The shock of the frigid water stunned her. She felt her fingers wrap around some of the banshee's hair as they toiled, falling deeper and deeper into the inky depths of Black Lake. Between the battering she had received on the lake's surface and the lack of oxygen she now faced, her eyes barely could see the banshee that the floundering in front of her.

It had her.

And then she was on the lake's shore, Ramsay dragging her soaking wet body over to group of students who had suddenly woken up from their bewitching. Professors were sprinting down the hill to meet them and Tansy couldn't feel the wounds the banshee had inflicted. Was it dead?

She glanced at her hand, noticing the long black hairs she had in it and… scales?

"Professor! She's hurt, we were fighting the banshee and she went through the ice!" Ramsay's voice was the last thing she heard before it all went dark again.


	11. Year One: CH 11 - Surmise

When she woke up, she was in the hospital wing, confined to her bed. She tried to sit up, but found that her torso was on fire. Falling back against her pillow, Madam Pomfrey materialized as if out of thin air. Fussing over her, the mediwitch insisted that Tansy take a sour draught to ease the pain in her side. But when she asked about what had happened, the woman refused to speak about it, mentioning that it was best for her to rest to regain her strength.

She discovered she had been in bed for two days now and collected at the foot of her bed was a small table with gifts. From her spot, she could see that there were chocolate frogs, Bertie Botts, licorice wands, cauldron cakes, ice mice, a vase with fresh flowers, and several get well cards with moving letters and images.

Being contained in a bed was positively the most boring thing she'd ever had to endure. Pomfrey would not give her any books, claiming that her concussion would continue to scramble her brain if she tried to do anything harder like thinking. Aside from a mild concussion, Tansy had gotten a terrible gash on her right side and several scratches on her shoulders. She nearly thought that Pomfrey wouldn't let her have any visitors, but after class time, a handful of students filed in to see how she was doing.

Lee and Megan arrived first, both staring at her with nervous verdant eyes.

"You're an idiot," Lee told her at once, his words harsh, but his eyes worried.

"If I were an idiot, I wouldn't be here today," she retorted weakly.

"Let me correct that. A lucky idiot. Seriously, what were you thinking?!" his voice hitched and he nearly beat his fists on the side of her bed. Megan grabbed him by the shoulder, trying to calm him.

"I didn't think a banshee would be there! That's for sure. Had to play with the cards we were dealt. I'm still not entirely certain how I got out of the lake."

"Madam Pomfrey didn't tell you?" Megan asked inquisitively.

"No, I've been sitting here staring at the wall all day. She won't even let me read a book or resume any classwork I've missed."

"You haven't missed that much and it's all stuff you probably know anyways," Megan snorted before glancing back at her brother, making certain he had calmed down. "I don't think we'd be the best to tell you what happened, we weren't there... but everyone is very thankful. Especially those that you saved," her eyes slid over to the table of presents and cards. "I'm just glad you're alive and you kicked some banshee butt. Now I get to write to dad that one of our friends defeated a banshee! He's gonna want you in the Ministry when you graduate."

"Maybe if he can create a new department for just hunting, I'll consider it," Tansy grinned, feeling a slight twinge of pain returning to her side. She sidled lower in her bed, trying to evade the ache.

Nova and Ramsay were waiting for the twins to leave and once they did, approached with guilty looks smeared over their young faces.

Ramsay was the first to unload. "If you had died, I don't know what I would have done. It would have been my fault for not using the sword spell too. If I had done it, we could have defeated it more swiftly," he blurted out, falling into the chair beside her. The boy placed his head of curly hair on the edge of the bed, moping with his forehead against the blanket.

"How did I get out of the water?" Tansy asked.

"A selkie brought you to the surface, but you were... bleeding everywhere," Ramsay shuddered at the memory.

"But we did it," her words stunned them both into silence.

"At what cost?" Ramsay muttered.

"The amount we knew it would cost. It's just hard to come to terms with it."

Silence fell between them all and just when Tansy began to feel hopeless, Nova spoke up. "You're right, we knew the cost, but we're the fools. Thinking ourselves untouchable because of the spells we were learning. This was our wakeup call, we can't be as careless and we need to practice more," the girl insisted, raising her eyes so that she could give both Tansy and Ramsay a challenging look.

"You're right... we need more practice," Ramsay said finally, lifting his head up from the side of the bed. "Before I forget," he reached over to where a small box had been left on the stand beside her. "You were holding onto these and because you lost your wand and your great uncle..." he babbled, opening the box.

Inside were a few strands of the banshee hair that she had grabbed while grappling with it. A few, thin silvery scales with a beautiful iridescent gradient were also among the hairs. The core she had mentioned to her uncle was now in front of her, though she wasn't certain what good effects either would have in a wand.

"I've got a generic wand with me in my chest. I knew it was going to crack further, but I didn't think during all of that," Tansy sighed, closing the box and placing it where it had been.

"Definitely the last thing on your mind when facing down a banshee," Nova muttered, a small smirk on her lips. "I mean, come on, you're the resident badass now. A first year who wrestled a banshee and lived?"

"Well I certainly don't feel like a badass sitting in bed for the past few days," Tansy grinned in spite of herself.

"Hurry up and get better then. I'll got find Pomfrey and find out when you can get out of this blasted place," Nova stood up and went to seek out the mediwitch.

Once alone with Ramsay, though he had brightened up considerably, he still had a guilty look. "I thought you were gone. The moment you disappeared into the water, I thought it had you."

"I'm harder to kill than that," she joked weakly.

Ramsay was not amused by her nonchalance. "Or you're just lucky."

"It's done and over with. I'm alive and this was one of likely _many_ scares... Maybe I should carry 2 wands at all times."

Ramsay grumbled, but finally conceded. "Not even done with our first year yet and you've already gone and broken your wand."

After another day of being confined to her bed, Pomfrey decided that Tansy could return to classes, but needed periodic checkups at the end of the day and would need to continue taking a potion for a week. Apparently, the gash from the banshee was much worse than she would have ever assumed. The scars were black, as if the flash had been filled with ink. Tansy had been afraid they had necrosed and she was going to die, but Pomfrey just told her that it typical for banshee scratches to be this color. Due to not being mortal, their wounds were not either. Tansy was now touched by a dark being and she bared its mark in the shape of three ragged claw marks from the small of her back to the right side of her navel.

Upon returning to the Slytherin common room, she was met by an assembly of applause. In the dimly lit chamber, she saw that tables had been pushed together and a cake with a candy banshee on it let out a tiny screech. 'Congratulations' was etched across the surface.

"What's this?" she managed, still having to favor her left side as she walked.

The prefect, Adrian came up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We celebrate all achievements in this house, especially those of note. You three defeated a banshee and saved other students. We decided that was deserving of cake at the least."

The Slytherins around them cheered and a few had wizard poppers, letting them go out in a rain of green sparks and glitter. Around them, the common room was aflame with activity and chatter. Many upper year students came back to ask how they had managed it and the trio had to simply give credit to their classes, even though that was not where it was due. At this time, Tansy also met a few other Slytherins she hadn't before, suddenly realizing she existed after earning their house 150 points for their bravery.

"I wonder how many of them care or are just happy that we actually have a chance of winning the House Cup," Ramsay muttered, poking his cake with a fork.

"We got 150 house points for that?" Tansy asked incredulously.

"Yup, in the Great Hall the next evening. You were still unconscious in the Hospital Wing," Nova informed her.

"I missed all the good stuff huh?" Tansy mused, tasting the cake which had a slight peppermint flavor. She wondered if they had intended on making it taste 'cool' like the ice.

"You haven't missed much in classes and I've taken an extra set of notes for you," Nova said, fishing out the past few days worth of work. "Knowing you, this will all just be review. But there is some homework mixed in there you have to catch up on."

Thumbing through the pages, she nodded. "Thanks... You know, I did a lot of thinking while stuck in bed. We were trying to come up with a name before for our group and I thought, The Crusaders, might be a good fit. You know, with all the Christian related spells we work on."

Neither Nova or Ramsay seemed completely aware of who or what the Crusaders, were, but they liked the ring to it. Tansy decided it best not to mention that the crusaders went on a holy war against those who did not have the same religious beliefs.

While relaxing by the hearth, Delta edged over. She had something behind her back and her hair was a fluffy mess, having not been braided while it was wet.

Clearing her throat, Delta drew the trio's attention. "I already got to thank Nova and Ramsay. I got this for you, who knows what would have become of me if you guys didn't act. I don't know if I could have faced down a banshee and when I heard how badly you were injured..." the girl swallowed heavily. "Thank you." Delta produced a small gift basket with an assortment of wizarding candy that Tansy had not seen before. "I asked a 3rd year to get it at the candy shop, Honeydukes, in Hogsmeade. I know it doesn't make you heal faster or feel better but-"

"Thank you, Delta," Tansy said, noticing the girl was having trouble with her words. "We Slytherins look out for each other. You're no different."

Delta smiled weakly, but the girl had faced so much adversity. Being one of the first muggle bornes to be accepted into Slytherin was not only a miracle in itself, but other Slytherins didn't necessarily approve. Those that felt that way were bigots in the minds of the rest of the first years, but sometimes folks prized tradition more than people.

Delta eventually left them to rejoin her circle of friends who were playing some wizard's chess. Inside the basket were peppermint frogs, fudge flies, pink coconut ice, fizzing whizbees, droobles, sugared butterfly wings, and pumpkin fizz. She barely noticed the tiny card that was shoved at the bottom that Delta had written to her.

 _'To Tansy,_

 _I'm not very good at being nice to people or telling them exactly what I'm thinking. I know I even gave you attitude on our very first day here. I want you to know that I really appreciate that despite how I've been, you still tolerate me and even put yourself between me and the Banshee. I hope that maybe I can join you, Nova, and Ramsay to learn some spells to defend myself better and I'm thankful to be in the same year and house as you all._

 _To a very long friendship,_

 _Delta'_

Tansy couldn't help but smile at the note, shoving it back into the basket before she picked up the goldish green tin of Sugared Butterfly Wings.

"Are these real butterfly wings?" she asked, breaking the seal, staring at the pudgy face of Madam Borboleta, whose head was mounted on a butterfly's body.

"Organic ones, I think it has dark chocolate and coconut. They're good," Nova insisted, glancing into the basket.

"Do you guys want some? With the amount of gifts I've received, my teeth will rot out of my head if I finish them myself."

* * *

Classes resumed almost as if she hadn't missed time at all. In Transfiguration, she found that her new wand, while easier to cast spells, did not perform as well as her previous. The dragon heartstring wand accepted her, but only just. And they were trying to work on the Avifors Spells, something she'd never had issue with. The spell could change the target into an electric blue bird, but today the wand popped and with a flash of blue light a flock of bats erupted from the goblet she had been trying to transfigure.

A few girls screeched as Tansy followed the bats around with her wand, wondering where she might bring them.

Professor Cogs waved his own wand, opening one of the high windows, he allowed for Tansy to steer the bats out and into the wilderness.

Tansy had always though Cogs was tough with her, especially after she'd overheard him arguing with Otters. With Transfiguration being a difficult subject, she took it as a challenge and did her very best to excel in the subject. Like other spell working, Tansy had a knack for it, and even then she noticed that the obtuse man couldn't help but try and hide a smile.

"As Miss Belmont just demonstrated, on rare occasions the Avifors Spell can create a flock of black bats, which can be controlled. Well done, 10 points to Slytherin," he announced as other students worked on their goblets.

Leslie had managed to turn hers into a single blue bird, whereas another Hufflepuff had only managed eggs. Professor Cogs went around the room, grading the results, as this was their final casting before they moved onto another subject.

When Cogs stopped by her desk, he marked an O and addressed her. "I see you are feeling better now, Miss Belmont? I'm glad to have you back in my class. We were missing a sort of... Je ne sais quoi?" A few caught his drift and Tansy espied Leslie scowling at her.

"Glad to be back, professor," she replied as he continued onto the next student, Delta, who had also managed a blue bird (though it was a bit ragged, with feathers sticking out in all directions as if it had been struck by lightning).

Upon the end of class, Tansy hobbled toward Herbology with the other Slytherins. Professor Longbottom was teaching them the Lumos Solem Spell to utilize against Devil's Snare, if one were ever so unfortunate to become trapped by it. Being their last class of the day, Tansy decided she would head down to the Owlery to send off the parcel to her uncle with her letter and the wand core. Nova had given her permission to use her barn owl, Yarrow, to transport it.

Fortunately, this visit to the tower did not end with them bumping into Lyla and her cronies. Tansy hadn't noticed her much in class and wondered if Lyla was staying away after the trio's triumph over the banshee. What could she say that would diminish the feat they had accomplished? They could hold it over her head for the rest of the year, if not more.

But, alas, Lyla was working on an even better scheme and when the rumor fell upon their ears, Nova was outraged and ready to start another fight with the girl.

"Really? She thinks that we were working with the banshee? That we knew it would be there? What kind of hogwash is that?" Nova snapped, pacing the common room.

A giant squid peered in through one of the illuminated windows that gazed into the depths of Black Lake.

"It was only a matter of time," Tansy shrugged, flipping through her book of herbs. "Just ignore it, she can claim it all she wants, but if we were working with the banshee we would have gotten away unscathed."

"She's not the brightest, just spouting ignorant information because she thinks it'll stick," Ramsay agreed.

"I just want to rip those stupid blonde curls out of her head!" Nova hissed, throwing herself into one of the chairs, glaring back at the giant squid.

"She's probably just afraid that Gryffindor is finally going to lose the House Cup," Tansy reasoned, trying to shake her friend from her violent mood.

"At this rate, the Quidditch Cup too. Not a very good year for Gryffindor," Ramsay grinned, glancing up from his homework.

Classes continued and with the finals drawing ever nearer, the Rosewoods became more frantic (though it was mostly Lee). Their little break from Lyla seemed as if it would last, but alas there was no force that could stop the green envy that oozed from Lyla as she glared at them in Charms. Even students in other houses seemed to be glad to be near them, despite being in Slytherin. And Lyla had not forgotten that Nova had pushed her and in her opinion, detention wasn't nearly enough for what the filthy Slytherin really deserved.

Weather had already turned over at Hogwarts and the snow and ice evaporated, replaced with sweeping hills of grass and a gentle breeze. With how beautiful it was outside, many students had gone down to Hogsmeade and others were collecting around the lake. Finals were nearly upon them.

Tansy found a quiet spot to skip rocks over the surface. So many things had happened at the lake that year. She and Nova had stopped the dark wizard, Tansy had met the selkie during detention, the banshee had been waiting for the students.

The water shifted and a face peered at her, large eyes blinking intelligently. Tansy stood up, wondering if it was the same selkie she had met some months ago.

The young selkie revealed the rest of his face and Tansy recognized the pattern of his scales. He gravitated toward her, coming as close as the outcropping would allow him.

"It's so nice to see you again," she told the selkie.

He smiled at her, revealing those sharp teeth again, but she did not feel threatened. He gestured down at the water with a webbed hand.

"You want me to..." she glanced at the water, recalling the icy shock as she had fallen into it while facing the banshee.

Contemplating it, her eyes went back to the selkie and eventually, she decided that she could place her head into the water. The water, while not as shocking as the winter, was still cool. The selkie had dove back under and was staring at her submerged face inquisitively.

"I am glad to see you live," his voice did not come out in rasps, but was clear and sonorous in the water. "We could all sense the evil that touched our domain. We got as close as we could, but with the ice between us, we could do little until you plunged in."

Tansy, forgetting that she was holding her breath, tried to speak. Lifting up to gasp for air, she went back under, struggling to formulate words, uncertain if the selkie could understand. "Did you save me?"

"We all did. Know that creature shall not ever return, it was close to death and was intent on taking you with it," he informed her. "We selkie can sense the intention of mankind. Know that you have a friend in me, Alban, should the need ever present itself again."

Tansy returned, her soaking wet hair falling in front of her face. She expected Alban to resurface, to wave and smile again, but he did not return.

"Talking to fish, are we?" an all too familiar voice sneered behind her.

Pushing her damp hair out of her face. "In a manner of speaking," Tansy acknowledged.

"Looking for the banshee down there? I bet if you went for a swim you might find her at the bottom," Lyla grinned, baring her gap tooth.

"I might, but I was thanking the selkie who saved me. I suppose you wouldn't know what been gracious is," she glanced around her, wondering if she had a clear way to go around without getting into the water. Backed up on the stony outcropping, the only way was through Lyla. "Now if you excuse me-"

Tansy went to pass right through them, not thinking anyone to have the gall to place hands on her, especially since she was wet and reeked of salt. However, Lyla stuck her arm out and shoved; hard. Sprawling backward, Tansy toppled back into the water, memories flashing before her eyes as she swore she could see the banshee's gaunt, horrifying face screeching at her as they sank lower and lower.

Her wand was in her hand and she cast ' _Ascendio_ ', rocketing to the surface of the water. While she bobbed, she could hear Lyla's group chortling and slapping their knees as Tansy started her way to shore, trying to shake off the dark memories that plagued her.

Once on land, Tansy was dripping on the ground, trudging back to the castle with her hands clenched.

"Enjoy your swim?" Lyla asked, chasing after her.

" _Anteoculatia_!" Tansy snarled, her wand emitting a red light.

The smile faded right from Lyla's face as a large set of antlers sprouted from her head. Screaming, she grabbed hold of them, astounded that Tansy had finally retaliated.

Storming back to the castle, Tansy decided that the short swim had been worth giving Lyla a set of antlers.

* * *

Finals had come and gone and Tansy couldn't believe that their first year had come to a close. Back on the train, their carriage filled with the Rosewoods, Ramsay, and Nova (along with their pets), they chatted about their grades, their favorite things that happened the past year, and what they were going to do that summer. Tansy was excited to begin her summer with her uncle, who would be picking her up from the train station. They had kept in touch for the rest of the year and while she intended on living with Esta, she was going to visit her uncle as often as she could.

When the trolley witch came back, one of the twins got a copy of the Daily Prophet.

"Would you look at that! They've caught the leader of that cult bothering us at Hogwarts this year," Lee remarked, fanning the story out so that he could further inspect it. One the front page, the image of a man flashed, but it did not look like Asmodeus from her dreams. In fact, he was quite the opposite; heavyset, pock marked skin, and a pig-like nose.

"Then that's the end of that, huh?" Megan sighed, relaxing a bit.

Tansy leered at the photo, feeling Ramsay's eyes on her. She gave a faint, non reassuring smile, and he settled back into his own seat. _Let them be happy for now, no more may come of this, but if so... we'll be ready,_ were the unspoken words between them. So many students had been terribly frightened of the bewitching and some were beginning to think that Hogwarts may not be the safest place to stay in the upcoming years. Even with the Aurors there, the banshee had still managed to snag the students.

"You two should come visit this summer," Nova told them as they were parting ways in King's Cross.

"All the way to Africa? I don't know, maybe you should come to Spain. I'll be there again to visit my family and during the summer, it's absolutely gorgeous," Ramsay informed her.

"We'll see, there'll be a lot of reading to do and try not to get behind on your studies. Would do neither of you any good if you forgot everything you learned this year," Tansy chastised as she spotted her great uncle waiting nearby. "Keep in touch! I'll be in London for a few weeks before returning to Rye."

The friends exchanged hugs and went their separate ways. Tansy accompanied her great uncle, who had a queer bag that could fit all of her things. Tansy was intent on carrying Pumpkin's case though.

"I'd say you accomplished quite a lot this year," Garrick Ollivander confided as they walked the streets of London. The day was gorgeous, sun smiling down on them as they traveled in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron.

"That certainly was the intention, although I didn't expect some of those to include fighting a banshee," Tansy chuckled, glancing at some of the passing cars and taxis. She wondered how many wizards were among the streets, if any. She and uncle Garrick must had looked strange in their casual wizarding robes.

"Your parents would be proud," Garrick told her with a faint smile touching his thin lips.

A warmth filled her belly and she beamed up at her uncle. "I'd like to think that too."

"And these marks? Keep it up and you might give your mother a run for her money," Garrick jested.

"I'll never be Head Girl, so I think she still beats me," Tansy breathed a laugh, glancing down at the sidewalk as they continued through the busy city.

It took them a while to get to the Leaky Cauldron and then onto Diagon Alley. Garrick had a spare room that she could stay in for a bit and when Tansy glanced in the dusty floor length mirror, she realized she'd grown so much. No longer was she the tiny little orphan from just a year past, but she'd shot up to a more respectable height and lacked the bitter expression written on her face.

Tansy headed downstairs, finding uncle Garrick was selling a wand. Taking a seat on an old, creaky spinning chair, she spun a few times, watching as they bartered. One spin. Two spins. Three spins. _Riiinng_.

The customer had left happy and Tansy was now a bit busy.

"Ah, Tansy I have something for you," he beckoned for her to follow him back to his workshop.

Uncle Garrick pulled down a wrapped box from his bench and handed it over to her. She noticed there was a slight tremble in his hand as he did. Tansy had a feeling she knew what was inside the slender package.

Unraveling the bow she found a beautiful, smooth, dark polished wood that was a molted black. Two thin rings of rose gold marked the beginning of the handle and the base. Inspecting the wand, she found a little surprise when she inspected the pommel, which had a small ivory cap that had her family sigil on it.

"Uncle, this is beautiful!" she fully gripped the wand and felt a resonating hum from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.

However, Garrick was a little uncertain. "Yes... I just wonder about that wand," he drawled.

"What did you use for it?"

"The wood is ebony, a beautiful wood that holds fast to the belief of the wielder. Exceptional for combative magic and transfiguration, which compliments the cores... The selkie scales and banshee hair. Usually, I would never use both in tandem; seeing that are quite rare, but since you had received both it only seemed like fate intended it so... Banshee hair is more inclined toward darker spells such as jinxes and hexes, exceptional at dueling as well, but has the near inability to cast healing spells. I might have chosen a unicorn tail hair to compliment it, to make up for what it lacked, but the banshee hair would have caused that core to fail every so often and would need to be replaced.

"The selkie scales are also great dueling cores and can sway one way or another when it comes to be inclined toward darkness or repelling it. In all, this wand packs quite a punch and would do you well in fighting situations, but it makes me worry... Both cores are inclined toward darkness," he need not say more about how unsettling the wand could possibly be.

"But the last wand I had… It chose me and you said it was inclined toward wizards with purer intent," Tansy reminded him lightly.

"And that wand broke under your gifts," he retorted smoothly.

The ominous feeling that had touched her uncle, also touched her. Could this wand truly be as dangerous as he claimed or was it just naturally inclined to the darkness? Tansy swore to defeat it and according to him, the selkie scales could be rather fine at Defense Against the Dark Arts.

 _The wand chooses the witch,_ she thought, but this wand was more. It was her first victory against the forces from the planes of hell. This wand was her first friendship and alliance with another race. This wand was hers.

* * *

 **Thank you so much to everyone who has supported the story thus far. As promised, I shall be altering the title page and chapters once I begin Tansy's 3rd year. I will also be including an Interlude chapter to fill in the events of 2nd year and it will be a short recap.**

 **Please also check out the pinboard I have created with the faceclaims of the older characters. You can find it at**

 **( pinterest dot com ) (forward slash) labyrinthfaewn (forward slash) the-belmont-legacy (forward slash)**

 **Forward slash = /**

 **-Fae**


	12. Year Four: CH 1 - An Ominous Return

Nothing in the papers had indicated that the cults were still conducting their seances and summonings. Perhaps it had all ended with the capturing of their leader. In any case, aside from Lyla's taunting, Tansy's second and third years sailed by smoothly. People seemed to forget that she and her friends had defeated the banshee, regressing the memories. In any case, Gryffindor swung back to the forefront, taking both House Cup and Quidditch Cup in the year of 2005-6. Again, they had the most students sorted into their house and they were beginning to feel the pressure of Lyla and her 'Pretties' (as they dubbed themselves). They were a group of developing teenage girls, obsessed with fashion (notably not that in Witch's Weekly) and makeup.

Tansy had been spending her time split between her great uncle and her adopted family, but as the summers would draw to a close, she would go to London to stay at Diagon Alley. She had grown to love all the shops and their owners, who swiftly began recognizing the wandmaker's niece, as she ran errands around the street. She came to enjoy the bustle and helping out in the shop. Tansy even learned how to start crafting some wands of her own, but she found that making small designs in the wood was more to her talents. She ended up catering to some custom orders that wanted endless knots or designs around the grip, so that her uncle could the more difficult work.

Using the money from the commissions as an allowance, she bought treats and robes she she liked the look of. The only time she went to Gringotts was to get coin for school supplies. While her friends were away, on exciting endeavors, she remained in England. Esta didn't want her traveling outside of the country and so their invitations had to be declined. Ramsay invited her every year to Spain and Nova to South Africa. The only people she glimpsed in the summers were the Rosewood twins, who would come and visit her while she was in London.

"Got your supplies letter here, came in this morning," Uncle Garrick told her, placing the Hogwarts envelope in front of her, the text written in an emerald script.

Warmth filled her belly, excited to begin the new year. She expected to be taking Care of Magical Creatures, Arithmancy, and Ancient Runes as her electives. Aside from the school book list, which detailed:

- _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4_ by Miranda Goshawk

And any additional materials students believed they might need. Many of the 3rd years books would be utilized again. She also needed to acquire new robes.

An extra piece of parchment spilled out and she realized that it was the permission slip to Hogsmeade. For the first couple of years at Hogwarts, you weren't allowed to go to the nearby wizarding town, which had a host of shops and local places to hang out.

"Could you sign this for me? It's the permission slip to Hogsmeade," she explained, passing it over to him. She had Miss Meldar sign the one from last year.

"And what do you plan on doing in Hogsmeade?" he asked slyly, as if she would get up to trouble while not in school grounds.

"Probably study at the local cafe. The butterbeer is good, not to mention the other few shops they have," Tansy shrugged.

"As long as you keep yourself out of trouble, I don't see why not," Garrick found a nearby quill and inkwell, signing the slip. "When are your friends coming to Diagon Alley to pick up their supplies?"

Tansy had been in contact with them, also wondering when they would be returning to the UK. "In a couple of weeks, I think. Takes a while for owls to get back and forth, Nova especially."

"Oh! One more thing," her uncle disappeared for a moment, returning with a small leather purse. "Your allowance from the work you did. Mr Finley was very happy with the dragon you did wrapping around his wand. I'd say you have a job here if not for you being so adamant with following in your father's footsteps."

"Thank you, uncle. Is there anything you need? I think I'm going to run to the cafe for a pumpkin tea. I can grab you one too," she offered, swiping the bag up.

"A pumpkin tea sounds nice, could you get me extra ground cloves in mine?" he gave her a gentle smile. Garrick always used this smile with her and sometimes it would be wistful, as if he was gazing at Heather, despite how often he said she was like her father. "And could you do me a favor and deliver this to Mr George Weasley at his shop? He needed the unicorn hair replaced and I gave him a loaner while he waited."

"Of course," she told her uncle, grabbing the parcel and heading to the door. She grabbed her cloak and hat; an emerald green cloak that fell to her shins and a matching pointed hat.

Diagon Alley had become one of Tansy's favorite places to be. As much as she loved the quaint town of Rye, Diagon Alley had been her first real experience with the magical world. Just a few years ago, she stood awed in the streets after taking a ride in a flying car. The streets were not as busy as when Hogwarts students were around to buy supplies, but many adults came by to collect supplies. Being on the centres of the British Wizarding Community, Diagon Alley always had people bustling around. She'd even come to recognize many of them and those that were common patrons at the Leaky Cauldron.

Where once she had stuck out like a sore thumb, she walked the streets, melting in with the rest of the witch population. She'd grown in height and rather than being a runt, she overstepped Esta at just 14 years old.

The Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes was a vibrant joke shop that catered to... everyone. Tansy had been in a few times, marveling at all of the items they had, including love potions. Most of the toys were on Filch's list of banned products at Hogwarts, though that didn't stop some students from bringing in the contraband anyways. Just last year someone had opened one of the Weather in a Bottle products, unleashing a snowstorm inside of the hallway. Filch was definitely not happy.

"Excuse me young witch, can I interest you in some candy that I'm sampling?" a voice inquired, drawing her attention.

A small, shriveled up man stood in front of her, reminding her of a raisin. His eyes bulged against his thin face and his nearly nonexistent lips trembled with excitement as he opened a dark box full of toffees.

"Who are you sampling them for?" she asked.

The shakey smile faded from the tiny wizard's face and he snapped the container shut before Tansy could pick up a toffee. "None for you!" he screeched and scuttled down the road.

Tansy shrugged and headed into the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, her eyes going everywhere at once. Within, toys made noises, whirling above head and below foot. An entirely pink section was for the witch community, the majority of the shelves filled with various love potions.

"You here for George, Belmont?" Mr Ronald Weasley appeared from behind a display, placing some Thor's Thunder Crackers on the shelf.

"Yes sir, I've got his wand for him," she held up the parcel as testament to her mission.

"Why don't you follow me? George is right back here," Ronald motioned for her to a follow.

Tansy knew enough about both of them to be aware that both Weasleys knew Harry Potter quite well. In fact, Ronald was supposedly Harry's best friend, although Tansy had never met Mr Potter. It was hard to believe that the soft looking redhead had been in the Battle of Hogwarts and one of the wizards to fight against the Dark Lord. Mr Longbottom looked more formidable than Ronald.

George was behind the counter, clearing his supplies receipt, various boxes stacked neatly beside him. He glanced up, a bit thinner and taller than his younger brother.

"Oh, good morning Miss Belmont. Here for your uncle?" George greeted.

"Yes, I've got your wand here," Tansy told him, placing it on the counter.

"Very good!" he chirped, unwrapping the package to inspect his wand within. "Great work as always, can't even tell that he did anything to it." Placing the wand in his pocket, George straightened. "Can I help you with anything today? Interest you in a love potion or maybe a Pygmy Puff?"

Tansy had seen the cute little puffs. "I think my cat might eat the Pygmy Puff if I were to bring it home," she mused before remembering. "Oh and the wand my uncle lent you."

"How could I forget?" he winked at her, pulling the extra wand out and passing it over to her. "School starts soon, doesn't it? You're in Slytherin right?"

Tansy tucked the spare wand into her inner cloak pocket and nodded eagerly before remembering that Slytherin had been a completely different house in George's time. "Yes..."

"Well if Slytherin has more witches like you, I would think it isn't half as bad as a decade ago," Ron commented.

"Perhaps you should come to a Quidditch game or have an expo at Hogwarts to see for yourself," Tansy suggested.

"An expo! Imagine the look on Filch's face!" George wheezed. "He is still there, right?"

"Unfortunately," Tansy grimaced.

"Maybe we could send a letter to McGonagall, you never know," Ron arched a brow at his brother, but before George could answer, a blood curdling scream pierced the air.

All three of them whirled and headed for the door to see what was going on outside. The screaming continued, a young woman clutching at her face in horror as she shrieked. People were beginning to gather around, but Tansy could see the man on the ground, thrashing as if he were having a seizure.

Ron was actually the one who acted first, running up to the man's aide where others shied away. He took his wand out, muttering something, but the man did not stop thrashing. Instead, blood was running out of the corners of his mouth and eyes. Suddenly, he stopped, his back arched abnormally, chest thrust to the sky. When he reopened his eyes, they were completely black.

"The king has returned," he chuckled, blood flying from his teeth as he began cackling, bones cracking as his limbs contorted in various directions. He fell limp to the ground, mouth open.

A red mist floated up from his body as if his spirit were leaving him, but as it reached higher it Tansy recognized the goat-head sigil of the cult. Her stomach dropped to her feet and she thought she was going to be sick for a moment, placing her hand over her mouth to prevent herself from retching.

The woman wailed, the man was dead.

Around them, Aurors began apparating to cordon off the scene. Tansy barely took notice, her heart pounding in her ears. Her mind was rushing with thoughts. So she had been right. A year had passed and she had desperately hoped that maybe... just maybe it had all been a bad dream. _Asmodeus was the king, that's who they were referring to._

"Belmont, you alright?" George Weasley gave her shoulder a squeeze, shaking her from her stupor.

"That's probably the first person she's seen die," Ron whispered fiercely, as if she couldn't hear him.

"It's not," Tansy managed, thinking of the green flash of light that had killed her father in the woods. The death wasn't what disturbed her, it was the message it sent.

"Hey, did you all see anything?" an Auror strolled up with a mess of dark hair and round glasses. He shook hands with Ron and George like an old friend.

"No, I'm afraid that we only just came out after the man collapsed. Ron tried to help him," George sighed, glancing back at the scene that was obscured by the cloaks of the Aurors.

"The woman with him said he'd taken a candy from a strange old man," the Auror commented.

"You don't think any of this has to do with You-" Ron began.

"No, completely different," the man pushed back his hair in exasperation and revealed a lightning bolt scar on his forehead.

"Sir? Did you say that a man had taken candy?" Tansy butt in. Was this Harry Potter?

"Uh... Yes. Did you happen to see anything, miss?"

"Miss Belmont. Yes, the same man approached me earlier. He was gaunt, back a little hunched, thin lips. He was wearing some ragged robes and when I asked who he was sampling the toffees for, he ran off. I thought it rather odd, but just continued on my way," Tansy explained.

"Hm..." Harry Potter hummed, crossing his arms.

"Does that fit the other woman's description?" Ron asked.

Harry nodded. "You're very fortunate," he told her.

Tansy reached under her blouse and pulled out her opal necklace. "Wouldn't have done him much good."

"A Spanish Warding Amulet," George recognized. "Maybe we should start making our own, Ron."

"Belmont, why don't you go back to your uncle's shop? Safer inside than on the streets, we'll handle it from here," Ron suggested as she stuffed the necklace back under her cloak.

"Nice to meet you Mr Potter," Tansy bid before hurrying down the street. Once out of the company of the wizards, she felt her hands beginning to quake furiously. She ducked into Rose Lee Teabag shop, bell tinkling lightly as she went to get into line.

The witch at the counter smiled at her, albeit nervously as if she had heard the commotion outside. "What's going on out there?"

Twitching nervously, Tansy glanced up. "Uh, a wizard ate a cursed candy... The Ministry is on site now," she told her swiftly, picking up her teas and paying without another word.

Her mind was reeling as she tried to recall the dream she'd had a few years ago. She would have to ask Otters again about Asmodeus, to see if she had changed her mind in the years. Despite the capture of the cult leader, Otters had still given her private lessons. The blissful ignorance was gone and Tansy also thought back to the prophecy of which she referred to with Cogs.

Tansy made it back to the wand shop without delay, her uncle sitting at the front desk, pushing up his spectacles as she entered.

"What's the noise on the street about?" he asked.

Passing over his pumpkin tea, Tansy launched into the details with her uncle, who was growing graver by the second. She had never told him about her dreams, as she did her best friends, but the elder wizard's eyes seemed peer into her soul, as if he knew there was more than she betrayed.

"Thank Merlin you didn't take any and for that necklace if you had," Garrick pointed a knobbly finger at the necklace swinging against her chest. "I want you to stay away from unfamiliar faces from now on. Might have been cursed candy this time, but next it could be a piece of jewelry or an article of clothing and your necklace won't protect you from that."

"You really think it's going to keep happening?"

Garrick grimaced and sat back in his seat. "I think that the Ministry has already made a big enough mistake claiming they've captured the leader and then this happens some time later. Dark wizards always bide their time."

"I'll keep an eye out... Oh, I got the wand too," she went back to her coat and grabbed the wand that George had been borrowing.

* * *

Diagon Alley had become increasingly busy with the school year approaching. Tansy had the honor of helping some first years find their wands, retrieving the boxes for her uncle as he tried to discern which would be a proper fit for each of them. Tansy didn't do her own shopping until Nova and Ramsay were due to arrive in London. That weekend was especially hectic and Tansy visited Gringotts before they were scheduled to arrive. She found that she didn't like taking people down to her family vault and had been going alone since her second year. Due to the sheer amount of relics, weapons, gold, and treasure, she felt awkward bringing anyone other than Great Uncle Garrick.

He was too busy with the shop to go, so she went on her own, only withdrawing 50 galleons, which should have sufficed for her books and the robes she wanted to buy. With how rapidly she had grown, she would have to replace all of her robes again. The extra coin she planned on spending at the Slug Jiggers Apothecary and Scribbulus for new quills and stationary.

Upon returning topside, Tansy found Ramsay and his parents also coming out from their vault.

In a less than a handful of years, Ramsay had shot up in both height and girth. He took his Quidditch skills very seriously and worked out often, his shoulders broad and he'd also gained height, though about twice as much as Tansy. His nose was a bit crooked too, having taken a bat to the face last year.

"Blue!" he called, a nickname that Nova and he had created for Tansy. Aside from her vibrant blue eyes, they always commented about how she had wanted to get into Ravenclaw and hung out with Ravenclaws despite being in Slytherin. They termed her 'Blue' to reference her friendship with the Rosewood twins and most who heard it, would just assume they were referring to her brilliant irises.

"Long time no see," Tansy grinned, hugging her friend.

Ramsay picked her right up off her feet and squished her in a hug. She thought her spine was going to snap right in half. Placing her neatly back on her feet, Tansy wheezed for air.

"Kept yourself out of trouble?" he asked, brown eyes twinkling.

"All I do is read books, so of course I did," she muttered, rubbing her back. Her head turned as Mr and Mrs Cavallero approached. "Good morning Mr and Mrs Cavallero. How was Spain?"

She had only met his parents once before, but they were both of Spanish descent with dark curly hair and tan faces. Mrs Cavallero's hair was so long at it fell to her waist in beautiful obsidian curls, her face sweet and lips red like an apple. Mr Cavallero was broad like his son and some sort of business wizard with history of playing on one of the Spanish Quidditch teams professionally.

"Ah, Miss Belmont, so nice to see you again. We missed you at our villa," Mrs Cavallero said, beaming at her with pearly white teeth.

"Sorry, I really appreciate the invitation, but my guardians won't let me leave the country just yet," she explained apologetically.

"Yeah, Tansy had been wanting to come to Madrid, but her family won't let her go with us or the Newtlys," Ramsay added.

"Ah Miss Newtly has been visiting their greenhouses in South Africa, right?" Mr Cavallero inquired.

"Yes, she should be arriving here soon," Tansy answered as they headed out into the Diagon Alley. The streets were the fullest she had seen in the past month, wizards and muggle parents alike, milling the streets.

"Ramsay, why don't you two head to get your robes and we'll meet you at the bookstore? Your father has to make a business stop at the press release," Mrs Cavallero said to her son, looping her arm with her husband's before they head off in a different direction.

"Anything exciting happen this summer for you?" Ramsay asked as they went in the direction of Madam Malkin's.

Tansy tried not to grimace, but the boy caught her. "I'll tell you and Nova more later. The Daily Prophet didn't really cover it, the Ministry must have ordered them not to," she replied darkly.

Ramsay's smile fell off his face as he inspected her. "You didn't start having those dreams again, did you?"

"Not yet," she grumbled, pushing the door open to the robes shop. There was already a line in front of them, so they had to wait their turn to be measured. "Oh great, try not to draw anything attention to ourselves, but-" she began, placing her hand on the side of her face as if trying to obscure it.

"Belmont and Cavallero," the voice sneered, a girl with bundles of robes in her arms.

"Good morning, Ibex," she muttered, trying not to turn toward her as they waited in line. It was hard to miss her, the girl was wearing an obnoxiously bright pink dress robe, a prim little hat on top of her curly strawberry blonde hair that now rolled down her back. The outfit was absolutely atrocious due to the color. Perhaps if it had been less... flamingo in nature, it might have been pretty.

"I see you're wearing outdated robes, nice make, but certainly not the latest fashion," she sniffed at the deep sapphire robes that Tansy wore, her crimson family brooch at the throat. "And pointed hats? So ten years ago."

"I suppose anything pink is in fashion then?" Ramsay snorted, trying not to laugh at her shoes, that were also pink and shiny.

"Pink is the new emerald," Lyla snapped, glaring at the both of them.

"I think I'll stay with the dark gem tones, thank you," Tansy smiled, trying to appear as sweet as possible.

"All the other girls will be wearing pink! Especially the pretty ones. Anyways, I don't have time to deal with you two," Lyla huffed, heading for the door.

Once she had left, both Tansy and Ramsay couldn't hold back the chortles anymore. "Oooh, pink is the new emerald," Ramsay feigned dramatically, placing the back of his hand on his brow as he glanced up at the ceiling.

"I bet you she's got other colors just as bright. It'd be a shame if someone spilled something all over them," Tansy grinned, still snickering.

"I happen to think that the darker robes look a lot nicer. And pointed hats? C'mon, those are classic for witches," Ramsay rolled his eyes as they moved up in line. "I wonder where on earth she comes up with these 'latest fashions'."

"Certainly not the Witch's Weekly," Tansy said, recalling that the latest issue had shown robes very similar to her own. The Rosewoods had been sending her issues ever since she had insulted Mrs Ironly. "Wait, did you notice something strange about her?"

Ramsay frowned slightly. "She didn't have as much of a lisp..."

"Her teeth!" both of them exclaimed at the same time, a few people glancing back at them.

"She got that wretched gap fixed, didn't she?" Ramsay said, albeit quieter.

"I suppose she did, along with a new nose too. Where does it stop with that family?"

"Her nose did seem smaller..." Ramsay remarked, shaking his head.

"They should change the name of their clique from 'Pretties' to 'Plastics'," Tansy jeered. "They're not authentically pretty if they keep magically altering things about themselves."

"Everyone can't be as fortunate as us," Ramsay said, arching a brow at her, flexing as if to make his point.

Tansy rolled her eyes at him and stepped up to the dias where Madam Malkin would do her measurements.

"Ah, my three... er two favorite Slytherins... Where is Miss Newtly?" Madam Malkin asked as the measuring tape slithered out of her sleeve and began coiling around Tansy.

"She'll come by today, but we haven't run into her yet," Ramsay informed her.

"Hm, very well. Lots of people here today, especially those cute little first years," Madam Malkin smiled, the tape retracting. "Miss Belmont, you want a pair of the resistant robes, correct?"

Tansy nodded graciously. The robes which she referred to were self-ironing, lint and fur repelling, and self-repairing. Tansy only wished they also had the skill to repel hexes and jinxes like the cloak at the Weasleys' shop.

"Gracious, Mr Cavallero, have you grown another foot?" Madam Malkin asked as she began measuring him.

Beaming, he said, "Might have."

"Oh and Miss Belmont, I have the remainder of your order as well. The robes you ordered?"

Tansy recalled she had put an order in for various clothing she could wear while out of uniform. Among them, she had chosen rich colors like a deep plum, a vibrant green cerulean, and a vivid maroon. She'd come to love witch fashion more than muggle and tended to wear the robes in public more often than naught. Of course she had more casual attire, but it was one of the luxuries that Tansy allowed herself.

"Perfect! I have the other half of the coin that I owe you for the commission," Tansy informed her politely.

Once Madam Malkin had finished their measurements, she told them to return in a bit to pick their uniforms up, but Tansy got a large parcel filled with her new clothing. She and Ramsay were stopping by the wand shop to drop it off when they bumped in Nova. It was hard to miss her stark white hair in a crowd.

"There you two are! I've been looking every for you," Nova told them, flipping her hair back. She was dressed polar to Tansy in street clothes, a baseball cap turned backwards on her head. She lived in London when she wasn't away in Africa and often went into muggle establishments. She'd also become a rather large fan of muggle makeup and spent all of her allowance in stores called Sephora and Ulta.

"Obviously you didn't look hard enough," Ramsay informed her shortly.

Giving him a narrow look, Nova turned her attention to Tansy. "How was your summer?"

"Not bad, but..."

"But?" Nova asked suspiciously. "I don't like that look on your face."

"I have to tell you guys something that happened, but not on the street. Why don't we go grab our books?" Tansy suggested, leading the way.

Nova continued to have a dubious look on her face, but followed them anyways. Flourish and Blotts was overflowing with customers, there seemed to be some sort of book signing going on and many middle aged witches were stuffed into the shop. A sign hanging from one of the rafters indicated that a famous writer who had written Hunting with Hippogriffs and Tango in Tibet was there to sign.

Tansy was pulling out a few additional spell books to add to her personal reading list when someone leaned up against a bookcase beside her.

"Would you like a copy of _Hunting with Hippogriffs_?" he asked, brandishing the golden bond leather book. He was a tall, lean and handsome young man with auburn hair, neatly curled to the side, emerald eyes twinkling at her. "A pretty young lady such as yourself might enjoy it."

Do I look older than I am or is he hitting on me? Tansy thought wildly, eyes seeking for any other witches in her proximity. "I'm sorry, but are you talking to me?"

"Long dark hair and bright blue eyes? I think so," he smiled, he noticed the book _Jinxes for the Jinxed_ in her hands. "Ah, a clever witch huh?"

"I'm a Hogwarts student, I do additional studying," she informed him.

"Oh," but the smile did not falter. "You must be the top of your class. 6th year?"

"Forth," Tansy told him uncomfortably, tucking the book under her arm.

"That's an adept book for a 4th year," he told her.

"I already know some of the spells in it," she informed him. "Ah... I think my friend is calling me. Have a nice day sir."

Tansy scuttled away from him, feeling quite strange as she joined Nova and Ramsay.

"Hey were you talking to Nathan Clarke?" Nova asked, having watched the exchange.

"How do you know who he was?"

"He's the author signing the books. Some sort of adventurer. Our generations version of Lockhart... though no one really knows what happened to that guy," Nova told her.

"I think he's in a mental ward. Do you think this guy is a fake like Lockhart?" Ramsay asked, taking a bite of a licorice wand he had somehow procured.

"He's a creep, that's what he is," Tansy hissed, clutching the jinx book close to her chest. Pressing her hand to her temple, she turned. "I've got to grab a few extra books. Hopefully he won't bother me again."

Ramsay scowled. "He won't if I'm around," he promised, following her to the shelves of spellbooks.

Tansy was about to obtain the extra books she had wanted without being bothered again. Although, she swore she could feel a gaze on the back of her neck as she picked out _Guide to Advanced Occlumency_ by Maxwell Barnett and _Self-Defensive Spellwork._ Whatever this year had in store for them, Tansy planned on being overprepared.

After stopping by Slugs Jiggers like she had planned, the trio found a spot at the teashop to sit and relax. Tansy launchd into the explanation of what had happened just a couple of weeks ago in the streets.

"So they were never really stopped. They were just... doing whatever they do!" Nova hissed, irritated that investigations had been halted and everyone had believed themselves safe.

"The attack was very bold, especially in such a well traveled place," Ramsay remarked grimly.

"I know, that's what is astounding. They're trying to get recognized," Tansy sighed, glancing down into her mug as she stomach made a turn.

"Do you think they're going to put any Aurors at the school this year?" Nova pondered.

"Not unless they make a debut again," Ramsay said.

But Tansy didn't know, the look on Mr Potter's face had told her that he didn't like the look of this and it was possible the cult had been evading them at every twist and turn. What if they had never truly caught the cult leader and it was a ploy for the Ministry to calm the public down? Even so, the cult had stayed quiet for a year. Tansy could not shake the sense of foreboding.


	13. Year Four: CH 2 - Hogwart's Express

**1,110+ views! Thank you so much everyone for hanging on so far! I really appreciate all of you who continue to read. Sorry, not sorry, for the surprise of jumping to 4th year. Was a last minute decision, but I hope ya'll don't mind!**

 **\- Fae**

* * *

King's Cross Station was bustling with muggles and children with trolleys. As expected, dozens of muggles were arriving in London for their morning commute, making navigation difficult when you were pushing a large cart around stacked with parcels, a huge chest, and a familiar. Tansy had to dart between them, her great uncle holding onto her carriage for dear life as she dragged his thin form along with her.

Being in London, they had gotten to arrive early so that Tansy could comfortably get on the train and also find a good, private carriage for all of her friends to sit in.

Drawing up to the barrier between platforms 9 and 10, Tansy and Garrick gave a quick look around, making certain that no muggles were watching. Once the coast was clear, they went forward together, reappearing in Platform 9 ¾ .

Hogwarts Express was not even steaming yet, the red paint glistening bright in the dimly lit chamber. A few other students were milling around, loading their belongings into the undercarriage. Tansy took care of her own things, packing them careful before taking Pumpkin's case and her satchel bag.

"I'll leave you to settle in. Here take this," Great Uncle Garrick reached into his coat pocket and pulled out some sickles. "Buy yourself a treat on the train."

"Thank you uncle, I'll write you," she promised, placing the coin in her pocket and hugging him.

"Be careful this year. Don't go looking for any trouble," he warned her, pulling away from the hug to grasp her arms and gaze at her intently. However, the glitter in his grey eyes indicated that he seemed to know there was no stopping her, they merely said 'Be careful'. "I love you, stay safe."

"I love you too uncle," she said, pecking him on a wrinkled cheek before she skirted onto the train.

Warmth filled her belly as she boarded the train and easily found an empty cabin. She let Pumpkin out immediately, the long haired calico stretching her limbs as she padded over to sit on Tansy's lap, bottle brush tail flicking about as she purred, slowly blinking her vibrant eyes. Glancing out the window, she watched as students of all ages approached the train and bid farewell to their parents.

Tansy wondered what the school year might have in store for them. What new spells and potions they would be learning. She also thought about how annoying Lyla would be, especially with her obnoxiously attire she would wear after classes. There were about a dozen scenarios she ran through her head, imagining spilling various liquids or potions on the dreadful robes to ruin them. Of course, that was if they weren't spill resistant, but her family had money...

Nova was the first to arrive, dumping herself into a seat and cocking her leg out in a very unladylike manner. She pulled her cap down over her eyes and let out a long sigh.

"Finally," she groaned. "My parents were so annoying all summer."

"Why? Didn't you get to travel?" Tansy asked.

"I did, but they made a fuss about all of this," she waved at herself and her attire, including her makeup and manicured fingernails. "It's a hobby, I like to do it, but it's not a very 'witchy thing to do'." Nova put her fingers up for quotation marks and spoke in a mocking voice.

"Maybe one day you can launch a brand of your own? At least your parents can't be disapproving of that," Tansy suggested, petting Pumpkin.

"When will I have time for that? If we're going to try to create our own department in the Ministry, I won't have time to be an entrepreneur on the side," she pointed out.

"You might," but she was right, who knew how much free time any of them would have.

"I'm just glad to be away from them, where I can do what I want... To an extent of course, but Hogwarts is freedom compared to home."

Tansy couldn't relate, but she simply smiled to her friend. Maybe 3 years ago she might have agreed that being home sucked, but now she actually got quite a bit done. Of course, Hogwarts was more fun, but each place had a special spot in her heart.

 _Bam_!

The carriage door flew open and Ramsay stood in the doorway, cheeks flushed, having used more strength than intended. He gingerly closed it behind him and settled on the seat next to Tansy.

"Morning," he greeted, glancing over at Nova who was lounging on the entirety of one seat, sprawled out like a cat in the sun. "You look pissed."

"More like relieved to finally be going to school. HA! Can you believe I'm saying that? I detest school work," Nova snorted, folding her arms behind her head.

"Anything new happen?" Ramsay questioned, settling into his seat. He seemed to be directing his question to Tansy.

"Nothing other than what I told you at Diagon Alley," she admitted.

"Yes!" Nova shot up immediately, looking between them. "I've heard that there are new professors this year."

"New professors? I didn't know any would be leaving," Ramsay remarked.

"Must have been last minute," Nova shrugged.

"I hope they replaced Cogs," Ramsay said.

"Cogs isn't that bad," Tansy protested, but to little effect.

Professor Cogs was a strict, prudent teacher who was incredibly soft spoken. He would let the classroom get out of hand and stand behind his desk, waiting for them to grow quiet. If they did not, he'd let them talk to the end of class and issue a quiz on the material he was going to teach the day previous. Tansy had never had issues passing them, but other students learned swiftly that Cogs was not a force to be reckoned with. Many students thought they he didn't prepare them enough for some tasks, but Tansy thought he gave them all the information they needed. He just didn't spoon feed students like some of the other professors.

"What are you looking forward to the most this year?" Ramsay shifted the topic.

"Honestly, Care of Magical Creatures was a lot of fun with Hagrid last year. I'm excited to take part again," Tansy admitted, recalling all of the magnificent creatures that Hagrid had brought for them to study. Some had been a bit boring like the flobberworms, but not all magical beasts were amazing and glorious, and Hagrid brought in a lot of local creatures.

"Not Defense?" Nova arched a brow at her.

Tansy shrugged. "It's the same every year, y'know? A lot of work, new spells… It's beneficial, but not my favorite class. It's my 'work' class, the one I need to pay the most attention in, but not necessarily have the most fun."

"Logical. I hate every class other than DADA, Charms, or Care of Magical Creatures," Ramsay agreed.

"Yes, you hate any class that requires additional reading and not pure magical talent," Nova pointed out.

Ramsay rolled his eyes at her, but did not dispute it. "Oh! Did you hear? _Ibex_ got her teeth _and_ nose fixed," he snarked as the Hogwarts Express let out a long, high pitched whistle, indicating that it was about to depart.

"No way," Nova shot up from lounging, a grin unfolding on her face. "Well we've found a subject to have fun with. I wonder how many of the other Pretties are getting their faces cut up. Bloody hell, I didn't think they'd even operate on 14 year olds."

Ramsay made a motion with his hand, rubbing his fingers together to indicate money.

When the train began moving, the three Slytherins glanced among each other. "No Rosewoods?" Nova sniffed.

Tansy had remained friends with the Rosewoods, but with the passing years, she had drifted closer to her Slytherin friends. She did study with them in the library, but it wasn't the same as attending every class together, sitting together for all meals, and relaxing in the common room during spare time. There was certainly no issue between them, but Tansy could not blame the Rosewoods for deciding to sit with other Ravenclaws.

"We'll see them," Ramsay commented nonchalantly.

"You think that an engorging spell would look good on Ibex?" Nova shifted the subject, inspecting her fingernails as she did.

"On what, her teeth or nose?" Tansy had pulled out a book by now.

" _Both_ ," Nova grinned wickedly.

"Just don't get caught," Tansy warned.

"Oh I could care less if I do. Detention? Ha!" the girl liked to boast about the amount of detentions she could earn in a year. Her first year had been the least and ever since she had only climbed higher and higher. Nova's attitude was a sore point in a few classes and some professors didn't tolerate it. Others knew that the teenager was just trying to be provocative.

"She won't be very pretty then, will she?" Ramsay snickered.

A soft rap on the glass door drew all three of them. They half expected it to be the Rosewood twins, but instead, another Slytherin girl was standing there. Her name was Gabrielle, a 3rd year who had done nothing but try to throw her lot in with the trio. Once, she had found them practicing their spell work and had been stalking them ever since, insisting that she should join them. Nova was nonplussed by the whole situation and would not even give her the chance. On the other hand, Tansy was willing to concede to the girl, but she was strangely grabby around Ramsay and the two girls had hypothesized that she had a crush on him. Of course, Delta, a girl in their year who was also interested in Ramsay, was like a viper when it came to Gabrielle.

Gabby opened the door without being invited.

"Hey guys! Did you have a good summer?" she was carrying her bag, as if preparing to unload with them. "You mind?"

Nova stretched her legs out, unwilling to move.

Tansy thought Gabby might try to sit near her feet, but was dumbfounded when she tried to squeeze between her and Ramsay. The girl wedged herself in and sat on Pumpkin's tail, causing the half-kneazle to screech in pain.

The Belmont shot up, holding her cat, glaring at Gabby.

The blonde gave her a half apologetic look, almost as if the cat's tail shouldn't have been in her way. "I guess I'll make room," Tansy grumbled, snatching her bag up and sitting beside Nova who had cleared for her.

"So, what did you all do this summer?" Gabrielle asked them, bringing the conversation back around to where they had been 15 minutes ago.

"Went to South Africa," Nova said airily.

"Visited my uncle in Diagon Alley. Helped him personalize some wands with wood carving-"

But as Tansy went to continue, she noticed that Gabrielle was glancing at her fingernails, not paying attention. She realized why Nova had been so short about her summer.

Instead, Gabrielle had been waiting for Ramsay to talk and Ramsay, if given the chance, would chat your ear off. The girl soaked it in and the carriage was filled with chatter, but not between the friends, rather it was just Ramsay with Gabby asking questions and reflecting about her own time she spent in Ireland.

"You got another book, will pass the time…" Nova muttered, poking Tansy with a sneaker.

"Er… only one I've got is that monster book. He doesn't like to be put in my chest. Somehow finds a way to make a mess of it despite his binding being sealed," Tansy reached into her satchel where her Care of Magical Creatures book had been sleeping soundly with a bundle of lavender and sage placed against his face.

It was only when she handed over the destructive book that Tansy suddenly had a very bad feeling. The cart was peaceful for a bit, but the anxiety did not pass. Not even after they had bought some treats off the trolley. In the middle of sucking on her chocolate frog (she'd gotten a Merlin card), Nova stretched loudly, overpowering the conversation across from them as she yawned.

The noise itself stirred the book, which was open on Nova's lap. Before Tansy could even act, the book leapt to life, snapping around viciously as it threw itself across the cart like a dervish. It smacked into Gabrielle, who hadn't been paying any attention as she ogled at Ramsay.

She should have felt bad, she really should have as her book mauled Gabrielle, but the stupid girl had sat on her cat's tail and insisted on sitting with them when she hadn't been invited.

Ramsay was the one that managed to get a hold on the book eventually, muscles straining as he fumbled the lock. Next to him, Gabrielle was shaking like a leaf, her braided hair pulled out in loose strands and her crimson face streaked with tears.

Ramsay leered at Nova and Tansy, as if demanding an answer.

"Oops," Nova shrugged as Gabrielle got up and ran out.

Ramsay threw the closed book where she had been sitting and stood up. "Come on Nova, really?" he departed after the 3rd year girl.

Nova slunk in her seat, glaring at where they had been sitting. "I don't get it. Girl can't even handle a book. A _book_ Tansy. You took a bloody banshee to the chest and a bludger to the stomach your first year! I don't understand why he tolerates her, she's completely fake and rude to us."

 _Should I play devil's advocate?_ Tansy wondered as she closed her hex book. "I don't like her either, but maybe that was too much. Ramsay seems to like her."

"Ramsay likes her because all she does is complement and feed his ego. He doesn't need his head to get any fatter and she's not helping!"

"I don't know what you want me to say. I agree with you to a certain point, but…" she thought back to Gabby's face when the book at attacked and couldn't suppress a chuckle. "Ok, it was funny."

" _See_?" Nova glanced out the window grumpily. "Ramsay's losing his touch. I don't get it. We better no lose him too."

Ramsay did not return until they were nearly at Hogwarts and he was livid. However, he kept a lid on it, brooding on his side of the carriage. Gabrielle did not return, which was an added bonus despite Ramsay's sulking. When they arrived at Hogwarts, the silent treatment continued and they unloaded the their belongings onto a carriage as the first years were corralled towards the lake.

Tansy had frozen, staring face to face with the creature that pulled the carriages. She always knew that they were thestrals, but she could never see them before this year. They were large, horselike creatures that were covered in fleshy skin with wings like a bat. Their faces were beaked and toothed, dead eyes staring at her curiously. She stared longer than she meant to, hearing Nova clear her throat behind her.

Turning away from the thestral, the creature whose hair she had in her first wand, she boarded the carriage.

Hogwarts loomed in the distance. Tansy was straightening her tie as they approached the castle, illuminated against the starry heavens, the castle was like out of a dream. Her excitement doubled and she seemingly forgot the mess on the train with Gabrielle. The Great Hall was just as she recalled it, reflecting the night sky with hundreds of candles floating above their heads.

The first years came in to be sorted and while they were, she heard some muttering around her about the new professors who were seated at the head table. Tansy hadn't really been looking at them, having been so fixated on the first years, but when she did she felt nauseous. Professor Otters was not at the table, but that wasn't what made her sick. It was who was seated next to Hagrid.

The auburn haired man seemed notice she was staring, his vibrant eyes gazing back at her. Tansy turned away immediately and stared at the Slytherin table, inspecting the grains in the wood.

 _No, no, no! Why is he here?_ She thought desperately, cheeks burning. _Hopefully it's a class I'm not taking. Please make it a class I'm not taking._

Even with the feast in front of her, Tansy didn't feel very hungry, despite only having a few snacks from the trolley on the train. She couldn't shake the disturbed pit in her stomach that came from seeing Clarke at the school. Was he that creepy with all young women? Or had it just been her? Either way, she didn't want to find out.

"You alright, Blue?" Nova asked. "You've hardly touched your food."

"I-" she started, but was cut off as McGonagall stood up to address the school.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts everyone. I have a few announcements I would like to make, including some changes that have occurred. As you can see, we are a professor short and a professor more. Our Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Otters, has had to step out for the year due to personal matters. Filling her shoes is Mr Harry Potter," there were gasps of delight and excitement as Mr Potter waved his hand, his hair still a tousled mess as he sat at the table with black robes on. "We have also added another Care of Magical Creatures professor to assist Hagrid. Mr Nathan Clark, whom many of you are familiar with from his books and work with creatures across the world. We hope that with his assistance, more exotic beasts might be brought in to study, since so many students have expressed interest in Hagrid's classes.

"Additionally, I would like to inform all students that curfew has been set to 8 pm, even on weekends. We expect you to be back at your dormitories by said time and any students found out will be punished accordingly," she paused to glance at all of the students before moving onto another subject. "You shall be able to find a list of banned Weasley items posted outside the Great Hall. Use of said contraband will result in punitive measures. Also to be found posted nearby is the ledger for joining clubs. Please remember to speak with the leaders of each club, which you can find their names listed on their ledgers."

There were a few sly glances around the Slytherin table before McGonagall continued.

"Prefects, take control of your houses."

The first years were gathered by the prefects and the other, older students, were able to start off on their own.

"Belmont, you're still vice captain of the Dueling Club, right?" a Hufflepuff inquired as they crossed paths.

"Yes, thinking of joining?" she was glad to take her mind off of Professor Clarke. Just last year she'd earned the honor of vice captain after she'd battled her way to the top, only outmatched by the current captain. Even then, she was one of the youngest vice captains in history.

"Maybe, what do I get for beating you?"

"My title, but from your work in Defense Against the Dark Arts? I doubt you'd last more than few seconds," Tansy retorted. Typically, she never boasted about her skills, but ever since she joined the Dueling Club (and had a knack for it), she allowed herself to posture, especially with her title.

A few other Hufflepuffs hooted and clapped their friend on the shoulder, but the boy didn't seem flustered and instead grinned back at Tansy. "You caught me there, but maybe I'd like to get whipped in shape by you, Belmont."

"Then sign up on the ledger, but I can't promise you'll get the honor. There's other people you have to get past before me," Tansy snipped as the Hufflepuffs diverged from the Slytherins.

Ramsay materialized beside her, finally deciding that he'd rather not be a ghost. "What was that about?" he grumbled as they headed down toward the dungeons.

"Recruiting," she replied with a sly smile.

Most people went straight to bed when they headed back to the common room, including Tansy and Nova.

"Did you catch that?" Nova asked, kicking her blankets down so she could slide beneath them.

"What?" Tansy asked, petting Pumpkin.

"Ramsay getting all protective over that Hufflepuff. What gives him the right? He can have a girl fawn all over him but you can't have a boy flirt with you?"

"I didn't take it as flirting. Just healthy competition-"

Nova gave her a look. "Girl."

"Ok, maybe a little, but you know how I get with dueling. I might entertain it if it brings our numbers up, he'd lose to me anyways."

"It's only going to get worse. Especially if you egg it on. Unless… you really don't mind. But I took you for the nerd with a nose in a book, not a player."

"This nerd's got looks-"

The door banged opened and Delta stomped in, her auburn hair fluffed up like fire. " _Uhg!_ " she began ripping her robes off, not bothering to say anything until she whirled around and noticed that Tansy and Nova were staring. "It's that wretched little blonde! I swear, you can't even speak to Ramsay without her hovering like his shadow. What's with her? Doesn't she understand that other people would like to talk to him too?"

"Jaded by your competition?" Nova remarked cooly.

"She's not even competition! She's a leech. I like Ramsay too and I don't hang on him like she does. Why he tolerates it is beyond me," Delta snarled, flopping onto her bed in dismay.

"We got stuck with her on the train," Tansy frowned.

"But hear this, it'll make you feel better," Nova sat up to recount the attack of the book.


	14. Year Four: CH 3 - The Coveted Language

School was back in session and Tansy was already rereading her books (even those that she had studied the previous year). She didn't know what to expect her first day other than being anxious for her last period, which was a double block of Care of Magical Creatures. Any other year she would have been elated to be so lucky, but now she was dreading to have to be in such close proximity with Professor Clarke. Maybe if she spoke to Hagrid after… The giant of a man had always been extremely kind to her, said that she reminded him of someone.

Soon, all of the fourth year Slytherins learned that the majority of their classes were with Gryffindor this year. Previously, they'd been with Hufflepuff for many, which resulted in easygoing classrooms. However, with DADA, Transfiguration, and Potions with Gryffindor were going to result in a lot more 'accidents'.

Defense was the class that everyone was excited to walk into. Tansy knew she would miss Professor Otters, but Harry Potter? People wouldn't stop talking about him!

Tansy arrived early to Defense, to find Professor Potter adjusting a strange wardrobe in front of them. While sitting, there was a heavy bang against the door, but it did not open. The rattling continued, students entering transfixed on the noise. Professor Potter only grinned as the rest of the students filed in and took their seats. There was not a peep as both Slytherins and Gryffindors waited for the lesson to begin.

Professor Potter's eyes scanned the crowd and he paused on Tansy, having recognized her from Diagon Alley. He gave her a reassuring smile before clapping his hands together excitedly.

"Good morning. As you all probably know, I am your temporary Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Harry Potter. I'm aware that you all know my story and so I shall not divulge too much. I'd like to start today by introducing boggarts."

Potter delved into what a boggart was, quills scribbling madly about the non-being creature that preferred to live in small, dark locations. Boggarts could become a person's greatest fear and while they could be forced to disappear, they could not be destroyed. In fact, sending one away would just cause it to later appear with more. Going over the spell that would turn them into silly shadows of the fear, Professor Potter had them all get up on their feet and form a line as he put a record on, light, jazzy music playing to brighten the mood.

Tansy had read about boggarts before, but Otters had never taught them. Every teacher's curriculum was different and so Potter was already proving himself to be vastly different from the book oriented Otters.

First up was Sable Foxglove, a handful of the other Pretties piled behind her in the line. Her height had evened out and she was less lanky and horselike than in first year. She raised her oak wand, waiting for the professor to unleash the boggart.

Potter, with a flourish of his wand, opened the wardrobe. For a moment, everything was still, the rattling ceased and only a dark opening in the wardrobe faced them. Then, a long leg stepped out, followed by seven others, an enormous spider clambering out in front of them.

Sable balked, but then seemed to remember that she had the power to stop it. " _Riddikulus!_ " the spider, which had been twitching its big pinchers, drawing closer, gave a little noise. Suddenly the black legs and thorax of the creature became pink and fluffy, the several eyes becoming cute and cartoonish in nature. The spider standing before them was now a cute, plush spider with two little soft pinchers.

Potter clapped his hands together, chuckling. "Very good! Next!" he called.

Gryffindors had piled in before the Slytherins, perhaps feeling more of an affinity toward the man who had been in their house, whereas the Slytherins were wary, wondering if Professor Potter hated them without getting to know them. Tansy knew it wasn't true or at least she hoped it wasn't.

When Lyla went up the boggart shifted into a huge serpent, so large that it could have covered the entire room. It was just about to blink its eyes open when Professor Potter stepped in front of her, casting the charm to change it into nothing more than a slinky.

 _Did Ibex just summon a basilisk?_ Tansy wondered as Potter told her to go back around to the end of the line. Could a boggart accomplish the same effects as the creature it shifted to?

Eventually, after it seemed like forever, the Slytherins were beginning to go. When it was Tansy's turn, the left overs shifted, trying to decide what it would pick. At this point, Tansy wasn't entirely certain, but when it chose, she felt her heart stop beating.

Slate grey skin, long dark hair, eyes of crimson and coal, wicked curved horns framing his face; Asmodeus. Tansy was like a deer in headlights, her wand leveled, but she was uncertain of how to even make him look funny. He took a menacing step forward, revealing clawed toenails beneath the black robe. People were muttering behind her, no one knew who or what he was. Maybe something her imagination had created?

Raising a taloned finger, Asmodeus pointed at her and spoke, his voice like that of a hundred spirits speaking at once. " _I'm coming for you next Belmont. Just like I did your father, then your mother_."

Tansy was shoved aside and someone else took the boggart. Asmodeus disappeared and a vampire reappeared, spitting and hissing. " _Riddikulus!_ " it was Jasper Ironly, the vampire wheezing as it tried to bare its fangs, but found two candy corn teeth instead.

Tansy stepped away, astounded that she had frozen like that. She'd never had an issue facing down her opponents or creatures, not even the banshee had caught her like that.

 _And that was just a boggart_ , she thought, wondering what she would do if Asmodeus was real and she had to face him. Her skin prickled and she felt sick, wishing she could leave the classroom to hide her shame. There would be people asking questions too. What was that? _Who_ was that?

She sat back down at her desk as other continued to turn the boggart into silly renditions of their fears. When the class ended, she slowly packed up her belongings, not wishing to speak with anyone.

"Miss Belmont?" Professor Potter summoned her, waiting for the other students to file out.

She expected him to ask if she was feeling alright and also mention how he might have expected more of her. To freeze in front of the legendary Harry Potter? Tansy glared at the ground as he waited until they were alone.

"How do you know of him?" he finally asked.

Astounded, Tansy snapped her head up and glanced at the professor, who now wore an expression similar to that she had seen on Diagon Alley. "I-" she began, but didn't know where to go. "I've had dreams. I'm connected to my father somehow and I have dreams of him fighting dark beings. I saw Asmodeus the night he was summoned; the night he killed my father with a curse…"

Potter nodded, heading over to his desk to pull out some journals that did not appear to be related to class. "I thought I recognized your name when I heard it on Diagon Alley. A good friend of mine, Hermione Granger, found a plethora of books written by your family about different methods and theories on Defense Against the Dark Arts, though they had gotten dusty and forgotten. Perhaps many thought them outdated, more brimstone and hellfire, dating back to when witches and wizards were prosecuted by the Church. However… Funny that now a new enemy appears and the writings of the Belmonts are the only source we have."

"You mean… Asmodeus is real?"

Potter shifted in his seat, glancing up at her, pushing his glasses up his nose as he contemplated how much he would or should tell her. "If that is his name, yes. What we know now is that he is a primordial dark wizard that had been trapped in another plane of existence. There were many of them. Instead of killing them, they were sent away, and look what good that does us now."

"Professor… What do those books detail?"

"A lot of overlapping study between wizarding magic and muggle religion. The Ministry has been working on these books for the past few years, trying to find the patterns, but it's almost as if something is missing. These books mention spells, potions, and other methods to defeat dark beings, especially those from the fabled 'hell plane', but do not actually give the spells."

 _The journal, my journal is the missing link,_ Tansy realized.

"I… I know some of them," Tansy told him, unable to stop herself from blurting it out. The Ministry needed to know. _Had_ to know.

"How?" Potter asked incredulously.

"It's passed down to Belmonts. Only something that a Belmont can understand… but I can show you what I know. If that helps the Ministry against these forces," Tansy offered.

Professor Potter seemed a bit… apprehensive, but after a moment he nodded. "Very well, any assistance we can get is appreciated."

"I just ask in return that you teach me more defense spells," Tansy requested, even though Harry Potter had not made it seem like it would be an equal trade.

He blinked at her, clearly not thinking she would be formulating a deal. Her information would not come for free. "Very well, as long as you can keep up."

"I took additional lessons from Professor Otters, so I am ahead of those in my year already," she explained.

"We shall see," Professor Potter said, a smile almost touching the corners of his mouth. "We'll begin next week."

Tansy left the class, but didn't feel any better. She had never forgotten what the demonic form of Asmodeus had looked like, but seeing it again made her head throb and her body ache.

"Belmont-" someone, who had been leaning up against the wall behind her, followed her.

Tansy glanced to see that it was Jasper Ironly. The years had done him well, his hair a dark wash that fell just slightly lower than his shoulders. His skin was warmed by the sun and strong brows arched over his brown eyes. He'd gotten rather quiet after first year and hadn't bothered her since the dinner they had endured. He was now on the Quidditch team (Gryffindor's Keeper) and had a knack for being known as a trouble maker. He always brought in contraband, setting off fireworks in the hallway, giving people candy that would give them purple spots… Tansy had done her best to steer clear of him and he'd done likewise.

Tansy might have snapped at him any other day, but he had been the one to stop her boggart.

"What Ironly?" her voice was much softer than usual.

"Are you alright? I don't ever think I've seen you so transfixed on something before," she couldn't tell if he was making fun of her.

"I'm fine," she snipped, her typical attitude returning toward him.

"You're not," he said, giving her a look over. "I know we don't talk, but you're not fine. You haven't been since you got here last night."

"I don't see how any of that is your business," she grumbled, heading down through the halls toward her final class. She was going to try and lose him before recalling that he'd also been in her Care of Magical Creatures class last year and was likely taking it again.

"I wouldn't care. Not usually. Not until I saw-" he cut himself off.

Tansy turned her head toward him sharply. "Do you know about what you saw? Do you know who he is?"

Jasper pursed his lips and for the first time in a long time, she saw the little boy sitting at the dark table across from her, unwilling to look up or speak during dinner. "Look, you're one of the brightest witches in Hogwarts, Belmont. We can't have you losing it."

 _That's not what he was going to say_ , she thought, her temper flaring. She barely glanced around to make certain they were alone before she grabbed the collar of his cloak and plowed him into the wall, her eyes glinting madly. "Tell me what you know! You know something Ironly!"

He was much larger than her and if he wanted to, he could have easily pushed her off. However, Jasper was astounded that the typically aloof Belmont had shoved him against a wall and was yelling at him. "I don't know too much other than what he is. He's dangerous and evil, perhaps even more so that You Know Who. When I saw he was your boggart-"

"You thought to defend me?" she sneered, releasing his collar before scoffing.

"Yes," Jasper croaked out finally, padding to catch back up with her.

He wasn't saying everything, but she couldn't force him to talk. Maybe she should have been grateful that he had put an end to her boggart, rather she was vexed by it. Simmering quietly as they walked to class, she didn't give another peep. _I've made a fool of myself twice today now. Are we going to go for a third in last period?_

Down at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, where class was typically held, the collection of 2nd level Care of Magical Creatures students gathered. With Nathan Clarke teaching the class, many expected that there would be exotic beasts brought in from around the world. And they were not wrong.

That day, a table had been prepared with an enormous box on it. Something moved within, but it wasn't to be revealed until the two professors were present.

As much as she was annoyed by Jasper from time to time, Tansy found it more beneficial to stick beside a male than force her way to the front of the group where Clarke might notice her. Nova and Ramsay were up front, but she found the back to be more comfortable.

Eventually, Hagrid and Clarke appeared. Hagrid looked as he always did, a huge lumbering man with shiny beetle like eyes and a smile that you could barely make out beneath his huge beard. He was a kind, gentle soul with a talent for dangerous creatures and somehow he always seemed to get his hands on one every year that he'd attempt to raise and care for. Now that he had this class, he had more of an excuse to keep them.

Nathan Clarke on the other hand was dressed in dark emerald robes that made his auburn hair seem more like fire. He smiled at the girls, each of which were dazzled by his perfect teeth and handsome face. Tansy was completely unsettled. Nathan was probably not too much older than them, in comparison to the other professors (not including Harry Potter). Perhaps in his mid twenties, the man swept on the other side of the box and glanced over at Hagrid eagerly.

"Alright, afternoon, welcome back," Hagrid greeted shortly as he placed a massive hand on top of the box. "Today we've got a bit of a surprise that Professor Clarke has brought from Africa. Why don't you all fan out and make more of a horseshoe shape so that you can all see?"

The group fanned out and Tansy was forced to come out to the front, using Jasper's tall shoulder to hide slightly behind as she eyed the box curiously. Her ears itched and she thought she could hear voices coming from within it, bickering at each other. However, no one else seemed to notice anything strange.

"Today we have a Runespoor to show you. Does anyone know the function of each head?" Professor Clark asked.

Jasper was the one who answered, much to Tansy's dismay. "The Runespoor has three heads. The left head is the planner, deciding what the Runespoor is going to do next. The middle head is the dreamer. The right head is the critic. Some Runespoors get so irritated with the right head that the middle and left decide to bite it off."

"Very good Mr…"

"Ironly."

"Yes, Ironly. He is quite correct. It's not uncommon for a Runespoor to bite the right head off, as it can be quite irritating to have someone constantly critiquing you. In any case, this Runespoor has a cone around the right head to prevent the others from injuring it," he opened the box and allowed for the Runespoor to spill out.

It was a three headed serpent with brilliant orange scales with black stripes. The three heads moved around, acknowledging them before they went back to their bickering.

" _Why are they all watching us? Should we do something?"_ the left head hissed, glancing over at the students who were marveling at them.

" _Do what? We even move an inch and that one over there will use some sort of magic on us,_ " the right head told his brother, displeased.

The middle head was simply minding its own business, the most complacent of the trio.

" _Look at them all and their stupid little faces_ ," the left complained.

" _That one is staring right at us. Almost as if…_ " the right head paused and reared, hissing loudly at Tansy as she stood, her jaw open.

" _Does she understand us?_ "

"As you can see they talk between each other and the right head always seems to be giving off a bit of a hiss. The middle head seems to be in some sort of daydream right now," Clarke commented, a few laughs resounding in the class. "Perhaps we can wake him up."

Clarke tapped the middle head, stirring it from whatever dream it had been consumed by. The other two heads immediately hissed.

" _Who does he think he is?_ " the left spat, baring its fangs at the teacher. " _We should do something._ "

" _Huh, what's going on?_ " the middle had suddenly woken up. " _I was having a very good dream. Who are all these humans?"_

" _We should attack him. It is the big one who feeds up and handles us kindly. This one does nothing but poke and prod!_ " the left was hysterical at this point.

Clarke went to bonk the middle again when Tansy leapt forward. "Stop it! The right is going to bite you if you don't!" she warned him.

Clarke and the students were all staring at her, even the Runespoor had turned all three heads to stare curiously at her. "And what makes you think that, Miss Belmont?" he inquired cooly.

 _How does he know my name?_ She thought nervously before glancing over at Hagrid desperately. "Their body language, the left was poised and hissing. It was talking to the right and the moment you touched the middle… The left was going to attack you, it was coiled to strike."

"Did anyone else notice that?" Clarke glanced among the students and no one spoke up. He gave a gentle, but triumphant glance at Tansy. "These Runespoor have been handled by a lot of people. They are the closest we have to tame ones, as they are used to produce eggs for potion making. I wouldn't have brought one I knew was dangerous to the class, seeing they have an XXXX rating. Either way, there is only one head of the Runespoor that is venomous and it is unlikely that said head will attack." But when Clarke reached down, as if to make a point of how docile the creature was, the Runespoor hissed angrily and both the left and right head bit his arm.

Students shrieked around them, pandemonium ensuing as Clark shook the Runespoor off. Before it could slither away, Tansy reached forward and picked the 6 foot serpent up, the body curling around her arm.

The heads acknowledged her and it was the right who spoke.

" _Speak now if you can understand us or we will attack!_ "

" _Please quiet down,_ " she whispered to it as Hagrid was administering an antidote to Clarke.

The Runespoor was pleased, the three heads muttering among themselves as they remained docile in her grasp. When Professor Clarke finally got back to his feet, pale as a sheet and covered in a thin layer of sweat, he gave a shaky smile.

"Perhaps I did not read them as carefully as I should have. 10 points to Slytherin for the forewarning," he turned around and wretched on the ground. "We're going to have to end class early. Where is the-" he noticed that Tansy was holding the Runespoor, which was calmer than the ocean before a storm.

"I can secure it," Tansy told them, heading over toward the box. Within the box was a nest of hay and straw. The Runespoor glanced at her and she realized why they had been so irritable in the first place. Eggs sat at the bottom of the nest, slightly obscured by the straw that had been placed over it. The beast was willing to go into the box without protest.

" _If that man comes back, we shall not hesitate again,_ " they warned as she secured the slotted top on the box and glanced over at Hagrid.

She knew what this meant, even if the other students had not heard her speak to them. On top of seeing Asmodeus today, she'd also learned that she had an ominous gift, one that many would not take kindly. Parselmouths were rued as dark witches and wizards, very few Parselmouths had ever been good, not including Harry Potter in the most recent years. It also meant, that in one way or another, her family had lineage that tied to Salazar Slytherin.

 _That was why the Sorting Hat picked Slytherin for me. It was my destiny,_ she thought, again wanting to vomit for the second time that day. Could she even trust anyone with the knowledge of his dark gift? With class dismissed, she wanted nothing more than to go find a place to hide, where she could collect her thoughts. The lake had always been her favorite place to go, but it wasn't going to be easy.

"Blue, are you alright? It didn't bite you did it?" Ramsay and Nova were at her side in a flash.

"No, it was fine. I knew how to handle it," she told him uncomfortably.

"How did you know it was going to attack?" Nova asked. "I mean, I saw it was irritated, but I didn't think it would turn on him."

"That's just it, it was growing more and more irritated. I found out why. It's got a nest inside that box with eggs. It was probably pissed off that someone disturbed it," Tansy said, drawing in a deep breath. "I'm going to go change and go for a run. I need a bit of time to myself today."

They had questions, she knew they did, but they always gave her space when she requested it. In the end, she'd fill them in on the information when she felt like coming around, but she couldn't shake the dark hole within her and the combination of things that had happened on her first day.

Once back in the dorms, Tansy changed into a pair of joggers, a sports bra, and a zip up sweatshirt. She tied her dark hair in a high ponytail and took only her wand with her. Running always cleared her mind when she found it cluttered with thoughts, ideas, and misgivings. The wind running its fingers through her hair, the steady thrumming of her heart, and the feeling of flying without leaving the ground. This was her alone time, the time where she could fit all the pieces back together and return to her normal self.

After making the long circuit around the Hogwarts grounds, Tansy trotted up to the lake. It was mild, autumn not quite in full swing that day. Dragonflies and butterflies buzzed around the lakeshore and once or twice, she swore she had noticed a fairy. She found a comfortable spot to unwind and picked up some round, flat stones to toss against the brilliant mirror surface, which reflected the robin's egg blue sky. From time to time, she would talk to her old friend, the selkie that had given her the scales to use in her wand, but other times being alone was just fine. In the summer, she sometimes entered the lake. There were no rules stating otherwise and it was easier to talk to the selkies while submerged.

"Belmont." Her peaceful world was shattered and as she gazed out onto the surface, the rock she had tossed plunked after one skip, her form becoming askew when heard the voice behind her.

Irritated beyond belief, Tansy stood up, her fingers reflexively going to her wand as she turned to glare at who was behind her. " _What_?"

Again, it was Jasper Ironly. He was nonplussed by the wand pointed at his face like an accusing finger and just stared at her before saying, "You're a Parselmouth."

Her fury ebbed away and was replaced with worry and anxiety. "No, what makes you say that? Why would you say that?"

"My whole family is full of them. We're descendants of Salazar Slytherin."

"Are you one too?" she asked suspiciously, wondering if he could hear the Runespoor as well.

Yet another sore point for Jasper, the young man shook head head in disappointment. "No, I cannot. The first to be borne in my family who does not speak Parseltongue. But no one else could have calmed the Runespoor down like you did, you said something to it, didn't you?"

Putting her wand away, she crossed her arms and nodded. "Just don't tell anyone, ok?"

"You have no idea what I would give to be a Parselmouth," he told her, his dark eyes gazing at her intently.

"Well, I didn't ask for it and with the stigma that comes with it…" she drawled.

"Harry Potter was the most famous Parselmouth in recent history. I don't think it's got as bad of a reputation as you think it does," he told her, his face sympathetic.

"It's all too much," Tansy said, feeling her composure crack.

"What?" Jasper's brows furrowed.

Tansy crouched on the ground, her stomach twisting in painful knots. "I said it's too much. Between what happened this summer and the boggart of Asmodeus. Now this weirdo professor we have to deal with and I'm a Parselmouth on top of it all? It's too much!"

 _I'm not crying. I'm not crying,_ she told herself silently, sniffling back the tears that threatened to come. Her wand too, it was a wand inclined toward darkness if she let it consume her. So many things pointed to Tansy becoming a dark witch, no matter how her heart and mind protested it.

"Belmo-" but Jasper cut himself off and crouched beside her. He put a hand on her back as she quivered, trying not to go over the edge. Instead of talking, instead of trying to say something that made her feel better, he simply sat beside her, waiting for the feelings to wash over her and come to an end.

When it did end, Tansy glanced up, her legs becoming sore from the way she was crouched. The sun had began to set and the sky was laced with tendrils of pink and orange. She stood up, taking a shaky, thin breath before turning her eyes up at Jasper.

"Don't speak a word of this to anyone, Ironly," she said, trying to make her voice sound as threatening as possible.

"Trust me, Belmont, I don't have anything to gain from boasting about this," he told her reassuringly. He brushed back his long, thick hair with his hands before giving her a lopsided smile. "Never thought I'd see you like that… but I guess no one is perfect."

Sensing that he was teasing her, Tansy punched his shoulder bitterly. Despite it, Ironly seemed completely unfazed by her wimpy attempt to hit him.

"Whatever," she grumbled, before picking up her pace so that she'd leave him behind and head back to her common room to change for dinner.


	15. Year Four: CH 4 - Gain One, Lose one

Putrid, stinking, death permeated the area. Moonlight dusted the bog, illuminating the peaty, sickly green ground. The nearby pools of stagnant water rippled, something lurking beneath the surface. A sleek, black horse head appeared on the surface of one, a kelpie. The others did not betray what laid within, not just yet.

Tansy was wandering between the pools, wand at the ready. But when she glanced at the wand, this was not her father's wand. Instead, it was the one that her uncle had created for her, inlaid with rose gold and her family's sigil. She did not know where she was or how she had gotten there. She wandered aimlessly for hours, the moon remaining at its zenith despite the time that had passed.

Eventually, she found a lake that was less abysmal in appearance. Just like Black Lake, she felt drawn to the murky waters, stepping in to her shins, barely noticing the lights that stirred with each step she took like tiny stars activated by her movement. She needed something there, in the middle of the lake. Suddenly, she was up to her neck in the water, lights zooming around her beneath the surface.

Dipping beneath the surface, Tansy lit the end of her wand, brightening the depths. Beneath her the light caught the iridescent scales of a serpentine tail. It wound endlessly, her wand tracing it as she dove deeper. Floating beneath she found a sleep woman dressed in a silky white gown that rippled around her peaceful form. Clutched to her chest was a sword, runes brightening as Tansy lifted her wand to inspect in.

Her eyes blinked open and she seized Tansy's wrist, staring into her soul. Paralyzed by fear and the woman's touch, she was subject to her will. For a moment, she thought she would drown until the woman spoke.

" _Twas in a forge of light and power_

 _Come and find me at the right hour_

 _From lands and lakes you must scour_

 _Thus find the weapon which make all enemies cower."_

* * *

The week's classes resumed and fortunately, due to the Runespoor's bite Professor Clarke had to spend the week recovering. Her anxiety subsided for just a bit, not having to deal with him, but she found herself dealing with another situation. Her friends did not know about her hidden talent as a Parselmouth and she was terrified to let anyone other than Jasper know. Even he was shaky at best, she still didn't know if he was worth trusting. On top of that, the evening following her mental attack by the lake, she dreamed about a woman sleeping within inky depths who said she needed to find her. At this point, Tansy wasn't about to shrug off any of her vivid dreams, not with Asmodeus lurking around somewhere.

What Tansy needed to know the most was her family lineage, she still had no idea where the Belmonts stemmed from. Apparently, they were from Romania, but they had none of the typical features of people from that region, leading her to believe that they had migrated from another country. _But where?_ She had to have a link to Salazar Slytherin to speak Parseltongue.

Nova had noticed that she was being weird and brought it up often, trying to procure the information. "You gonna tell me what's going on now?" she asked grumpily at the beginning of their second week of school. "I've seen Ironly sitting near us in classes. Want to tell me what that's about? I thought you hated him."

It was true, Jasper had been following her around somewhat. In fact, Tansy didn't mind, seeing that he knew more about her qualms than her own best friends did. Somehow, she trusted him and he had yet to betray her. Maybe they were related in some manner, both descendants of Salazar Slytherin (though they barely looked similar). Tansy's hair was nearly black and her skin fairy pale, her eyes bright and blue. Jasper had tan skin, dark brown hair and eyes with more chiseled features, whereas Tansy's face was rounder and cheekbones were higher and softer.

Tansy glanced around and pulled her friend over toward a secluded part of the hallway. "Look, I'll tell you later tonight if we can get Ramsay to be there," she promised.

The teen gave her a moody look and shrugged her shoulders. "Alright, where is that boy anyways? Barely saw him this weekend."

Tansy frowned, recalling that had been true. Where was Ramsay? Usually he stuck right by their sides and they traveled everywhere together. "Maybe early Quidditch practices?"

"Even so…" Nova muttered, tapping an emerald fingernail against her lip. "Oh, when does Dueling Club begin? A lot of people sign up this year?"

Tansy had gone over the list with the captain, Brian Lincoln, a 7th year Ravenclaw. "There were a lot of sign ups from the younger students, so we'll have to go over the basics for the first few meetings. Y'know, explain the rules a few times, give some demonstrations, and then people can begin practicing. Actual challenges and ladder climbing probably won't begin until after Quidditch starts in November."

"Damn, a lot of youngsters?"

"You never know where the talent is, I mean look at me. I was a 3rd year that outmatched people older than me."

"You're a special exception. It's in your blood," Nova rolled her eyes.

 _In my blood. They say that a lot don't they. But it's true, isn't it?_ She thought as they continued to their final class of the day. Professor Potter was teaching them about dark creatures, specifically focusing on basilisks and how to properly defeat one. When class ended, Potter summoned her to his desk.

"You seem distracted Miss Belmont," he remarked, glancing up and placing his quill in the inkwell. "I hope you won't be when we begin our lessons this week… Which reminds me," he reached into his drawer and pulled out a book with the direwolf sigil that belonged to the Belmonts. "I acquired this from a friend, it was among the collection they were studying, but they had little use for it. It is a history of the Belmonts, tracing the children born and your lineage. I would have killed for a book like this when I was growing up and I thought you might as well. Your family kept very good records of nearly everything."

Tansy accepted the book, astounded that her many questions regarding her family might truly be answered by this book of dates and names. "Thank you, you don't understand-"

"I think I do. I grew up with muggles before finding out I was a wizard as well. I understand better than anyone," he insisted before closing the drawer and glancing at his pocket watch. "Remember our lessons beginning tomorrow."

"Professor… Can I bring other people? If I cannot, I understand, but my companions kept up with me and I think they'd also make promising students," Tansy inquired before being dismissed.

Professor Potter contemplated it for a moment, his green eyes glazed over as if he were recalling distant memories. Finally, he conceded, "Yes. But if they cannot keep up, I will drop them from the lessons."

"Thank you, Professor. Have a nice evening," she told him politely before leaving him to himself.

Clutching the book close to her chest, Tansy went and found a seat in the central square gardens, between some hallways situated outside where she could look at the book. Taking her seat on a stone bench covered in wilting ivy, she flipped it open and saw that the first page was labeled as ' _The House of Belmont. All records are intended for Belmont use._ '

The book was formatted not as a story, but rather the first Belmonts' names, where they were borne, when they were borne, who they married, what they looked like, when they passed away and how. Any notable achievements would also be written beneath each Belmont's assigned page. Her family dated all the way back to the 900s, just as France was being declared an independent country as the Frankish Kingdoms finally united. Only a few hundred years after that did Tansy begin to notice that notable talents of her family members began to include 'Parseltongue' as their spoken language.

She had to flip between the pages to see what she might have missed and found what she was looking for; the Peverell family. One of the Belmonts had married a female descendant of the Peverell line and Tansy knew of the Deathly Hallows history from one of Professor Otters' lessons from the year before. The Peverells were directly related to Salazar Slytherin and somehow, the men in the Belmont family continued to pass down the Parselmouth status. Nearly every witch or wizard in the Belmont tree afterward had this skill. Tansy flipped to the end to find her father and grandfather, both of which had been Parselmouths.

 _And my father was a good man. Perhaps Ironly was right,_ she thought, closing the book, breathing a deep sigh of relief. _So my family is French? I wonder why they moved to Romania._

Tansy headed back to the Slytherin common room, feeling slightly better about the conversation she was about to have with her friends. However, when she entered, a happy smile on her face, it melted away when she laid eyes on a furious Nova. Now, it was very often that Nova was grumpy about one thing or another, but at this very moment she was livid. Ramsay was nowhere to be seen.

"What's wrong?" Tansy asked as she approached, noticing that Delta and Basil were sitting around the hearth with her.

"Want to know why we haven't seen his ass?" Nova questioned as Tansy took a seat with her.

"Why?" she didn't like where this was going.

"Because he's spending all his time with the blonde bimbo. They ' _dating_ '. Can you actually believe that? Instead of going for a witch with more intelligence and moxy, he goes for the first one who is willing to suck up to him! And now he's ignoring us for her!" Nova snarled, tossing her hands up for emphasis and exasperation.

"How'd you find that out?"

"Trust me, Gabby isn't exactly quiet about it and they were holding hands," Basil groaned.

Delta's cheeks were flushed and she appeared as if she were either about to cry or scream in fury. "Maybe I should have made it more obvious how I felt…"

"They won't last," Nova told her swiftly. "He'll get tired of her."

"Yeah, don't even put yourself on the same level as her. You're so much better than her," Basil told Delta.

"Hey Nova, why don't we go for a walk? Change into some more comfortable clothes?" Tansy asked, nodding her head in the direction of the dorms.

Nova picked herself up from her seat and followed her back to their dorm. Both changed out of their uniforms and headed out of Slytherin house. Tansy intended on somehow finding Jasper as well. If Ramsay was going to ignore them, then she wouldn't waste her time on him until he decided to come back and join their ranks.

Once outside, Nova released a long breath and gave her a narrow glance. "And you too. I don't like when you hold things back."

"I'm going to tell you, we just have to find someone else first," Tansy swore as they headed toward the Quidditch Pitch. She was only spitballing that perhaps Jasper would be practicing, she knew that Slytherin wasn't hosting practice now.

Nova seemed to realize who she meant as they arrived to see the Gryffindor team practicing. "Why?"

"Because he knows why I've been so weird this past week."

"Why does he know and I don't?" Nova asked, offended and hurt.

"Because he knows about Asmodeus and asked me about it. You saw him push me out of the way in the first day of Defense, didn't you?"

Nova shook her head. "Honestly, no I did not. I wasn't really paying attention."

"If you had been, you would have seen my boggart was Asmodeus. Ja- _Ironly_ recognized him and pushed me out of the way to spare me questions of other students. I froze Nova. Since when do I freeze?"

"You don't. I haven't known you to ever falter."

"That's how much _he_ scares me. And Ironly won't tell me everything."

"We can force it out of him," Nova suggested.

"No… I just think we can trust him."

Nova snorted, indicating her thoughts about him. "I mean, he's not bad for a Gryffindor. I like his pranks, especially when they involve Filch. But come on, he's a _Gryffindor_. Did you forget they cause all of our problems here? I swear, if they even find us skulking around, who knows if they'll let us walk away without first jinxing us."

"His whole family is Slytherin, he doesn't hate us."

"Then why isn't he a Slytherin?"

"I don't know, but just wait."

Tansy and Nova hung out underneath the bleachers, waiting for the Gryffindor practice to be over. They only realized part way through that if Gryffindor did catch them, they might think that Slytherin was spying on their tactics for the new season. So they resorted to hiding, waiting for the proper time to grab Ironly and pull him under the bleachers with them. Nova took the honor, happy to get her hands on any Gryffindor, dragging him beneath the bleachers.

Where Tansy had been dwarfed by Jasper, Nova was nearly the same height.

"What the-" he began, but a dark hand clasped over his mouth as he flung his broom around, trying to get out of her grasp.

"Stop it!" Tansy hissed. "It's just us."

Jasper calmed down and Nova released him, the lean teenager glowering at both of them for giving him such a start. "Couldn't have just called me over?"

"And notify the rest of the Gryffindor team we were here? No thanks. They'd say we were spying on them," Nova informed him shortly.

"I wanted to talk to both of you as soon as possible and before tomorrow night," Tansy said, pulling out her book. While they had been waiting, the pitch had grown dark and beneath the bleachers it was hard to see. "I discovered my family lineage. Professor Potter gave me this book, which traces nearly everything about each of my family members. _Lumos._ "

Lighting up the book, she opened the page to the Belmont who married the Peverell. "My link to Salazar Slytherin. Not as bad as I assumed it might be," she said.

"Ok… so you're related to Salazar. Makes sense why you're in Slytherin. So?" Nova was dismayed that this seemed to be the only reason they had risked being found by Gryffindor.

"She's a Parselmouth," Jasper told her nonchalantly, taking the book from Tansy, lighting his own wand to look through it. "Wow. You know a lot of pureblood families have books like this, but my family has never let me look at ours. Not only that… but your house is much older than mine. Where did Professor Potter get this? It's in such good condition."

" _You're a Parselmouth_?!" Nova exclaimed, albeit too loudly.

"Shh! Yes!" Tansy responded. "I believe all of my family was after the link with the Peverell line. I haven't read every wizard's history, seeing there are so many… But my grandfather and father were too."

"That means… You heard the Runespoor talking. _That's_ how you knew it was going to attack and how you calmed it down. Bloody hell Tansy, what other secrets does your family have?"

"A lot, apparently," she grumbled, rubbing her temple. "I'd be surprised if there wasn't even _more_ that I'm unaware of."

"Trust me, Parselmouth is pretty high up there. Is that what you were so worried about?"

"Of course I was! Being a Parselmouth had been linked to so many dark wizards in the past. I'm glad that the blood we got it from dates so far back and _isn't_ the Gaunts."

Jasper seemed to flinch at the mention of the Gaunts.

"You're not related to them, are you?" Nova inquired.

"The Ironlys are the sister house to the Gaunts. Yes, we're related and often intermarry. I think sometimes some bad wizards turned out because of inbreeding."

"Sorry I mentioned it," Nova grimaced. "Why aren't you in Slytherin then? You're a descendant too."

"Must have taken after my mother more," he shrugged.

"Continuing as to why we're here," Tansy shifted the subject back on course. "Professor Potter told me that Asmodeus is very real and the Ministry is working actively to discover more things about him. He's a primordial wizard, who knows _how_ old he really is. But whatever magic he used turned him into the monster from my dreams and there are more like him from the 'hell' plane mentioned in my grandfather's notes. I offered to teach Professor Potter the spells that I've gleaned from Grandfather Ian's notes in exchange for extra lessons in Defense Against the Dark Arts. I also requested today that I could bring some others with me and he accepted."

"You want us to also take these lessons?" Nova assumed.

"Yes and don't fall behind or he won't continue to teach you. If Asmodeus is lurking around, he's going to start problems here again, I have no doubt. We have to be ready."

"What about Ramsay?" Nova asked.

"Until he gets his head out of his ass, he's not invited. We can't have him unfocused and slowing us down," Tansy told her, receiving a nod in agreement. "There is also one more thing. I had another dream."

Jasper didn't seem to know entirely what this meant, but Nova leaned forward. "Were you in your father's place again?"

"No, I was in some sort of bog and I was myself," she launched into the vivid details of the dream from last week, including the lady from the lake.

"Lady in a lake? That sounds like Nimue, _the_ Lady of the Lake. From Arthurian history?" Jasper pointed out. "Perhaps the sword is Excalibur."

"What good would Excalibur do us?" Nova asked thoughtfully.

"I don't know, but we have to find her. Where ever she might be."

"And how do you propose doing that? After we leave school, we won't be able to use magic. On top of that, our curfew here is 8. Can't exactly going trekking through the Forbidden Forest for said bog."

"Not unless we have a way to escape unnoticed," Jasper suggested.

"And what grand scheme do you have for that?" Nova arched a brow at him, but Tansy knew the answer.

"Getting the supplies for that would be difficult," she remarked.

"There are fully grown mandrakes in one of the greenhouses. We would just have to acquire them. I'll think of a way to cause a distraction, the sooner we get the leaves, the sooner we can begin."

"I'll leave it up to you then," Tansy nodded.

"Leave _what_? What are you talking about?"

Tansy's blue eyes glinted in the light of her wand. "Becoming Animagi."

* * *

As predicted, Ramsay barely spent time with Tansy and Nova. He devoted his time to Gabby or Quidditch and the girls knew his grades would begin to slip. Perhaps it would be his parents who roused him from his stupor when he midterm grades went out, but neither girls were about to put up with the back talk from Gabby. Ramsay had dug his own grave and would have to dig himself out. Tansy, Nova, and Jasper attended Professor Potter's lessons. In exchange for the Holy Sword spell, he was teaching them the Patronus Charm. It was exceedingly difficult and all three of them were having issues with it.

Other people also started to notice that a Gryffindor was hanging out with Slytherins, though no one did anything about it just yet. Jasper sat _near_ them in class, but didn't dare to sit at their table. He went to the library after classes to study with them and quietly mention his plans for acquiring the first part of the Animagus process. If they could turn into animals, they could successfully sneak off campus and explore the Forbidden Forest, where they believed the bog might be.

Nova became more tolerable of Jasper, especially appreciating his work midweek when he set off a Tiny Twister in the hallway that directly hit Gabrielle in passing. Of course, the mini tornado had made a huge mess, scattering students parchment, papers, books, and quills, but oh how it had been worth the look on Gabrielle's face, her pretty blonde hair an absolute rat's nest. Nova was laughing so hard that Filch accused her of doing it and she took the blame and the detention that came with it.

Why suddenly had Tansy changed her opinion on Jasper? Perhaps the years they had spent apart since their fateful meeting in her family garden had changed them both in various ways. Jasper acted out in his house, a place that he never wanted to be included in and his parent's dissatisfaction had been blatant in Tansy's first year, who knew what they were like now. He didn't seem to have many friends in his own house and the amount of points he lost them for his shenanigans wasn't appreciated (though many in other houses found it hilarious).

Perhaps that was why no one questioned it, he only got along with people on his Quidditch team from the sound of it and many of them were older.

"Alright, listen up. I've got enough fireworks to draw McGonagall out of her office. It should cause more than enough of a distraction for Professor Longbottom and any Prefects nearby to come out here and see what's going on. If needed I'll put myself out there too, but I'm going to lay low. Grab extra leaves too, if one of us accidentally swallows it we'll have to start over again," Jasper went over the plan as they were crouched round behind a tree near the various green houses. "Get round back now to enter from the rear doors, once you hear the fireworks, give it 20 seconds and go in."

"The fully grown mandrakes should be in greenhouse 3," Tansy said, both she and Nova were equipped with their soundproof earmuffs.

"Go!" he told them.

Tansy and Nova headed behind the greenhouses and waited until the first firework popped off into the air. It never came.

"What's going on?" Nova hissed anxiously.

"I'm not certain…" Tansy muttered, but just as she had spoken bright lights twisted into the air with raucous pops and bangs. Both placed their earmuffs on and once they had counted the seconds down they gave each other a reassuring nod before prowling forward.

Tansy unlocked the backdoor of greenhouse 3 with the Unlocking Charm and they crept in. No one seemed to be around and they could identify the mandrakes by their clumps of grass and small leaves. Nova, with her expertise in herbology, located the adult mandrakes first. She lifted one up, the pitiful screaming silenced by their earmuffs. Tansy snipped a handful of the leaves and slipped them into a jar. Nova threw the plant back into its pot and they bolted for the door, knowing that if the fireworks had ended, someone would have heard the mandrake cry.

They snuck back around the bend and walked leisurely, their earmuffs tucked away where they could not be seen. Out around the front of the greenhouse, a collection of students were marveling at the fireworks as they were coming to an end. Eventually, someone would notice that an entire mandrake's plumage was missing, but none would be able to say how. Heading downwind, they found Jasper relaxing in a thicket of trees.

"Piece of cake," he glanced at his fingernails. "So you've got them right?"

"Oh yeah, we took enough to turn all of Slytherin's 4th years into Animagi. Professor Longbottom will definitely know they're missing," Nova commented wryly as Tansy pulled the jar out. "So what's the first step?"

"We keep these in our mouths for a month. You can't spit it out, swallow it, or anything. Has to stay there or you start over. Everyday we need to recite the incantation ' _Amato Animo Animato Animagus_ '. Once we accomplish that, we can save them. However, we have to recite a spell to keep them intact until the potion is completed, which can only be during a thunderstorm," Tansy explained.

"Hm, doesn't sound too hard," Nova commented.

"I bet you're going to swallow yours first," Jasper remarked.

"Fortunately for us, if everything goes smoothly, October and November should give us a good handful of thunderstorms. Since it does rain a lot up until November, I see us accomplishing this quite well. _However,_ if either of you do something wrong or doubt the integrity of your mandrake leaf, for Merlin's sake, _tell me_. This spell is complicated and a lot of wizards have had terrible transformations and if we want to keep this under wraps, that's the last thing we need," Tansy told them, unscrewing the lid to the jar.

Once they had agreed, Tansy doled out two mandrake leaves and placed one at the roof of her mouth. It was rather bitter, but she had a feeling that after a couple of days the taste would leave. How wrong she was. The magical plant had a knack for ruining nearly every meal that she ate and it didn't get any better. From how Jasper and Nova received it, she had a feeling they very well felt the same way. And as predicted, Nova had accidentally spat her mandrake leaf out first, having to begin the process over when Tansy and Jasper were already a week into the process.

"You guys swear you won't go to a thunderstorm without me?" she asked, giving them both accusing stares as she replaced her mandrake leaf in the Three Broomsticks.

"Well…" Jasper drawled, pausing to take a sip of his butterbeer. "If the opportunity presents itself, we can't bank on there being another storm to wait for you with."

Nova flared up.

" _Anyways_ ," Tansy interrupted hastily, trying to shake the bitter taste of the mandrake room from her mouth with the butterbeer. It was a temporary reprieve. "We should be looking at our notes from Professor Potter."

"The Patronus is hard, I don't think any of the spells in your grandfather's journal presented as many issues as this one gives us," Nova complained.

"You're slacking. Tansy and I are close to our corporeal forms," Jasper told her, not helping the sore temper she had developed already.

"And I'm this close to shoving my fist down your throat and ripping out your leaf so you have to start over too," Nova replied, almost sweetly. "I don't know why I put up with you. Stupid Gryffindor."

"Slimy Slytherin."

" _Guys_. Please stop. We're not children," Tansy sighed, but to little effect. Every now and again they'd have spats like this and she would just have to let them blow over.

"Well you know what? I'm done for the day!" Nova exclaimed, throwing her sickles on the table, draining her butterbeer before her face turned alarmingly pale for having such dark skin. "Uh… I did it again."

Jasper broke out into a fit of guffawing as Tansy fished out yet another mandrake leaf for her. Nova glared at him and stomped out of The Three Broomsticks once she acquired it.

"Am I really that bad?" Jasper mused, drinking deeply from his mug again.

"If you have to ask that, what do you think the answer is?" she retorted simply.

Jasper leaned back in the booth, kicking his feet up to place them right where Nova had been sitting. "You tolerate me just fine and I swear, you gave me the look of death everytime I even glanced at you for the past three years."

"You do have to admit, what your parents did didn't exactly live a good taste in my mouth."

"I'm not going to try and condone they actions. My parents are condescending assholes," he finished off his butterbeer and called for another, running his fingers back through his chestnut hair. "I'm sorry for what they did. None of your family deserved that."

Tansy thought to Auntie Esta and Coleman. Ever since that day, Esta had been finding ways to get back at the Ironlys without costing the house elf. The woman was very clever when it came to be mischievous and found various ways to vex them, like perfectly placed poops that had been made by the crup she had purchased, just for the purpose of poops.

"And I'm not saying you do, I see the error of my thoughts now," she replied evenly. "But poking her for a response doesn't do either of us well. You know she has a temper."

"Flare her temper and she turns out better results. If we badger her enough, she'll do better with her spell casting," Jasper insisted as his second butterbeer was delivered. He flashed a smile and turned his attention back to her. "And stop swallowing those mandrake leaves. Eventually we'll run out and I don't think we'll get away as easily with another bunch. I hear that greenhouse has been put on lockdown ever since."

The door jingled behind them and a handful of Slytherin Quidditch members entered the bar, taking a table nearby. Tansy hadn't thought much of it until she felt a pair of eyes leering at them.

"Cavallero is glaring at us," Jasper commented nonchalantly, crossing his arms as he relaxed in the booth. Tansy didn't bother to turn around to see what he was doing.

"It was only a matter of time before he realized that Nova and I were spending more time with you. I'm actually kind of surprised it took him this long," she sighed, another sip of butterbeer going down.

"Nova's not here now," Jasper said as if it were supposed to mean anything.

They both quieted down, listening to the chatter of The Three Broomsticks. From the nearby Slytherin table, they could hear mentions of their practice that had just ended. The subject shifted and Tansy was suddenly aware that both she and Jasper were being scrutinized.

"A Gryffindor and Slytherin together? Have they no shame?" someone said.

"I thought better of Belmont. One of the smartest witches in our house and she's flouncing around with a Gryffindor?"

"Guys, guys, guys, she was raised by muggles. Of course she doesn't understand the delicate separation of Slytherin and Gryffindor. I thought she did… but, she always surprises me," this voice she recognized as belonging to Ramsay.

Tansy's cheeks grew hot as she heard them blatantly conversing about her and Jasper.

"What other ways has she surprised you?"

"Well, I don't mean to brag, but she was all over me before I started dating my current girlfriend. I had to put some distance between us and ever since she's been ignoring me. I have no doubt that she's twisted the story around to make it seem like I'm the bad one, but isn't that was girls do?" Ramsay boasted, talking the talk among his teammates.

"Tansy…" Jasper started, noticing how dark her fair cheeks were becoming.

"Really? She's so stoic, I've never been able to read her. Is that why you didn't date her? I mean with looks like hers, I didn't think she'd have any trouble landing someone like you."

"She's got a load of problems. Crazy dreams, says that she's sees through her dead father's eyes, but in my opinion she's not the pureblood she claims to be. In fact, she's little better than a mudblood. Raised by muggles? Didn't find out about magic until her letter to Hogwarts?"

Jasper's face was shocked and he was about to get up and say something when Tansy rose, marching over to the table of Slytherin Quidditch players. She had her butterbeer in hand and watched as each of them gave her a nasty look over, almost as if she didn't have any clothes on. Ramsay held his expression, leveling a challenge at her, daring her to act.

Upending the butterbeer all over Ramsay she sneered at him. "Talk about me like that again _or_ any of my friends and I'll do a lot worse than pouring this on you. You have some nerve to say that I have been lusting after you. I thought that maybe you were spending too much time with your girlfriend, but now I see how you truly are. Consider this the end of our friendship. And if I _ever_ hear that filthy name come out of your mouth again to describe me or any muggleborne, I _will_ hurt you."

The smug look faded right off of his face in the light of her glowering and low voice. She didn't care if the other Slytherins witnessed this, they needed to know that no one would defame her with things that were not true.

Glaring at the rest of the team, she placed her cup back on the table of the booth she had been sitting at and placed her coin there as well. By now, the entirety of The Three Broomsticks was watching, awed that Belmont had just threatened one of her best friends without faltering.

"Say whatever you want of me, just make sure it's true," she told her house's Quidditch team before leaving the pub.

Storming up the path back to Hogwarts and away from Hogsmeade, Tansy was still seeing red. She didn't even notice that Jasper had followed behind her, until he caught her shoulder part way up the path, spinning her around.

"Belmont," he started warily, trying to stay away from the edge of her temper.

"You heard all that, right? I'm not imagining things am I?" she spat, trying to draw a deep breath to steady herself.

"I did… I very nearly went at him myself, but your approach was certainly more effective. Are you alright?"

Again, he had caught her in a moment of fury and despair and was asking how she felt. "No, I'm not alright. My best friend just told his teammates that I'm the same as a mudblood. I can't believe he'd utter those words! All three of us have talked before about blood supremacy before and we agreed that in this day and age, there is no room for it. There are Slytherins that are muggleborne for Merlin's sake! He's saying that about his own housemates! I can handle be slandered if it's true, but the moment he began saying things that weren't true…"

Tansy wanted Ramsay to be a part of their group again, but between his prejudice for Gryffindor and his shift in interests with a girlfriend, she didn't know how it was going to be possible. Not to mention that he had just alienated her and she had announced in front of many other students that they were no longer friends…

Ironly did the unthinkable, wrapping her in a hug. Tansy was not a very touchy person, she tended to keep to herself physically and few people ever attempted hugging her Ramsay had been one person daring enough to risk hugging her after not seeing her for a long time, but she barely knew Jasper in comparison to Ramsay. Yet, somehow Jasper could read her better. Despite their differences in personality and temperament, there was a confounding comprehension between them.

"How touching," someone jeered from behind them.

Thus far, Tansy had the luxury of not being too bothered by Lyla and her Pretties. However, heading up the path behind them was none other than Lyla. Breaking up their embrace, Tansy glared behind her, it little mood to deal with Lyla.

"I'm actually quite impressed by your little bout in The Three Broomsticks," Lyla admitted. "I didn't think a Slytherin would stand up for mugglebornes or their friends from another house. I must say, I'm pleasantly surprised. Not bad Belmont."

Tansy was dumbfounded by what she was hearing from her nemesis. "Everyone should be treated equally, regardless of where or how they were born. I may be pureblood, but I didn't grow up like one. In a manner of speaking, I am like a muggleborne aside from my inheritance."

"And not many Slytherins would admit it," Lyla replied, pushing back her long strawberry blonde curls. "Maybe you're not half bad. But I suppose I shouldn't give you the benefit of the doubt just yet."

Lyla and her cronies fluttered off in front of them and Tansy just stared, awed at what she had experienced.

"Close your mouth or you'll be starting over like Nova," Jasper told her.


	16. Year Four: CH 5 - A Stormy Autumn

Everything didn't resume as peacefully as Tansy might have hoped. Slytherin seemed to divide on who was on her side and who was on Ramsay's. Most of the students in their own year sided with Tansy, but the older students, who Ramsay had more sway with due to Quidditch, thought elsewise. She tried to push it to the back of her mind. Why did it matter what house her friends were from? It was none of their business. The 3rd years hadn't turned their back on her surprisingly and she learned that many of them were just as annoyed with Gabrielle as she was.

Not to mention Gabrielle was all beguiling talk. Perhaps she thought that Tansy really did have a crush on Ramsay, but either way the girl completely blew it out of proportion. None of the students in her own year would listen to it and so she entreated those in higher years who would listen to her woeful tale about how awful Tansy and Nova were, how they were manipulative and greedy. The stories were so untrue and false, that she doubted many students actually believed they were true.

Nova wanted to sack the girl, teach her a little bit about what gossiping would get you, but Tansy held her back. She knew that attacking Gabrielle would only inflame the issue and not resolve it, proving Nova was the brute that Gabby made her out to be. Gabby would have to attack first and from the looks of it, she wouldn't. The girl was all talk and little brawn.

On the other hand, Jasper was doing better in his own house. As if by some sort of strange magic, the Gryffindors were more willing to talk and hang out with him. Tansy wondered if it were in effort to pull him away from his new friendship with the Slytherins, but discovered that Jasper had no issue separating himself from his house when he did want to hang out with them.

Dueling Club was still in its beginning stages of operating and a handful of people had already dropped out due to a lack of interest. She knew that later said students would regret their decision after things heated up.

That evening, she was heading the lessons and moderating as Brian went around checking posture and assessing the work ongoing. Once he was satisfied, she shifted the subject and said, "Now we can begin with proper duels. In order to climb the ranks and face Brian or myself, you must first slough through your peers who are unranked and then the members of the club who have been here years previously. Upper level duels will begin in a couple of weeks," she announced as the younger students appeared eager to finally begin proper duels.

Professor Flitwick was on site to help moderate the duels, but due to the sheer number of people, they split into three groups to grade and make calls on. Not everyone got to duel as wished before they had to dismiss for dinner.

"At this rate, I think we'll have the highest retention yet," Flitwick observed as the students were filing out.

"You think we might be able to enter a tournament?" Brian asked hopefully.

"Perhaps, but you need to focus on your N.E.W.T.S. more. We'll talk about the idea of entering a summer tournament after your exams and we see how the club fares," Flitwick told him sternly. "Now off to dinner you two. Excellent work tonight."

Heading down the corridor, Brian and Tansy separated when it was time to sit at their according tables. Tansy found a spot reserved for her with Nova, Delta, Basil, and Robin. The feast before them included fresh lemon and herb salmon, buttered pigeon stuffed with herbs, sweet ribs, yorkshire puddings, scalloped potatoes, braised pheasant, corn on the cob, pumpkin mash, green beans, seasoned cauliflower, roasted garlic beef roast, and a fresh garden salad.

Tansy was picking at her pheasant when she overheard voices not too far along the table.

"I can't believe they have the gall to sit at our table as if they're one of us. If they're so fond of the other houses, especially Gryffindor, maybe they should switch," the snarky voice of Gabby drew a few chuckles.

Nova bristled, clearly having heard it as well. Basil glanced down the table and then back over.

"Don't listen to her. When they break up, Ramsay is going to realize what an idiot he's been and it'll be too late for him to make amends. Don't do anything you'll regret," Basil told her.

"It's a bit difficult. I don't take kindly to blatant insults," Nova scowled, spearing her salmon with her fork.

"No one does, but Basil is right about this one. We'll be the ones smiling in the end," Delta grumbled.

"There's nothing wrong with having friends in other houses. The professors encourage it. Anyone who can't see past their own nose is stuck in the past and that's the reason people hated Slytherins just a decade ago. We don't need people in our house tarnishing our name as we're trying to recover it," Nova replied, speaking loud enough that those down the table could hear her.

Tansy was proud of her friend's choice of words and even snuck a glance down the table to see how it had been received. Their faces were a motley of rage and offense, but Nova could not have been more correct. Their thoughts were regressive and a few, elder students, were nodding in agreement. That sufficed enough to shut them for the rest of the dinner. Not even the dessert, which included treacle pudding, pumpkin pasties, various candies, red velvet cake, butterscotch icecream, and tiramisu roused anymore of their nasty comments.

A bit of sadness touched Tansy at the thought of Ramsay becoming this way. Why had he suddenly flipflopped? She had never noticed him being so flippant before and he'd always been steadfast and loyal. From time to time, she noticed his arrogance, but she never believed it would come in the way of their companionship.

 _I was wrong. I'm not right about everything,_ she thought.

"Come on, Blue. We've got lessons tonight," Nova reminded her as dinner was being let out.

On their way out of the hall, she felt her robe catch beneath something; no someone. A foot planted on the back of her cloak and Tansy lost her balance the moment they released her. She crashed to the floor, only just catching herself from smashing her nose onto the stone floor. She wasn't so lucky with her chin, which had smacked painfully against it.

Nova grabbed her by the arm and hauled her back to her feet, spinning around to leer at everyone who passed by. "Bloody cowards, doing it in a crowd like this. They know they couldn't win a fight against either of us."

Tansy rubbed her aching chin, it wasn't bleeding but the bottom of it felt very raw.

"Belmont, you ok? I saw you eat the pavement," Jasper said, sidling up to join them.

"Yeah, I'm wonderful," she replied sarcastically. "How bad is it? It's not bleeding…"

"Ouch… Yeah you scraped it pretty bad. Sort of like a rug burn, y'know?" Nova said, shaking her head.

"Great," she mumbled as they began making their way to Professor Potter's office.

Professor Potter had arrived just before them, unlocking the classroom. "I want to see some good work tonight," he informed them.

For weeks they had been working on the Patronus Charm. All of them were able to conjure the light and up until this point had been unable to summon the corporeal charm that Professor Potter was so adept at.

"Now, we're going to begin as we always do. I want you each to try and summon your strongest, happiest emotions and use them to glide on top of when casting the spell. You've been working on this charm long enough and we need to press forward," Professor Potter told them as they each found places to stand.

Tansy's mood was already quite foul from the spill she had taken and when she tried to dredge up memories, she found herself only just managing to cast the Patronus Charm.

However, Jasper stood poised and when he unleashed his spell, a shape flitted from the end of his wand. A fox made of white light leapt around the room, tail brushing behind it as it ducked under Professor Potter's desk and knocked over a bundle of parchment he had been grading, sending them flying everywhere. The fox paraded around, circling both Tansy and Nova before coming back round to Jasper.

"Very good! Excellent demonstration," Potter then turned to the two girls.

Astounded that she was not the first to accomplish the corporeal charm, Tansy drew a deep breath and steadied herself. She was letting her emotions get the better of her and she needed clarity. She needed to think of the best, happiest moments of her life. Esta thrilled over her Hogwarts letter, Esta hugging her in delight when Tansy had given her the bag of gems, Christmas time spent with her family, working in the shop with her great uncle, stealing the mandrake leaves from the greenhouse.

" _Expecto Patronum_!" Tansy's wand exploded with light, much to part of the core's dismay. The selkie scales sang with the charm, a serpentine creature unfoiling from the light; a Runespoor. The Runespoor slithered around, cocking three heads at the before flitting back to Tansy, coiling around her waist to inspect her closely. One of the heads nagged and then they turned around to peer apprehensively at the others in the room.

Before Potter could even say anything, Nova shouted the words to the spell and sent her own corporeal charm flitting around the room; a polecat. Professor was at a loss for words, all three students feeding off one another to accomplish the difficult task he had set in front of them.

"Amazing," he breathed before shaking his head. "Your generation stuns me more and more," Potter sighed wistfully and then grinned at all of them. "Well done. I suppose I've got to come up with more lessons for you. I didn't expect you all to accomplish the the corporeal charm, especially in that amount of time."

They continued the lessons with reciting the various uses of the Patronus Charm and moving into replicating the forms to prove that it had not been a one time fluke. He made mention of delving into more defensive magic in their next lessons along with duelling. Tansy grinned at the mention of her favorite pastime.

* * *

A storm wailed outside, rattling the windows with thunder. It was the beginning of November and they had prepared their mandrake leaves from full moon to full moon. They had been worried that they might have to start over again after discovering the evening was cloudy, but lucked out at the very last moment. Acquiring the other materials had been challenging, but they had enough time to set up suitable methods to obtain what they needed. Now, the final step of their journey could be completed… and they only had so much time to cram it in before a Quidditch match that Jasper needed to play in.

Tansy and Nova waited for him just by the doors that led out into the courtyard. It was rather quiet in the school, no one was bothering to go outside with torrential downpour, but they had no choice unless they wanted to chance another storm. Wearing their thickest cloaks, they braved the weather and kept close together to fight against the wind. Their chosen place was the owlery and the walk there was absolutely atrocious. Each of them were soaked to the bone by the time they made it there, hair flat against their faces as Tansy took out the box that held each of the potions.

Each vial was carefully labeled and she gave them out, glancing between them, praying to Merlin that none of this would go terribly wrong.

"Ready?" Tansy asked in a faint voice, anxiety peaking. What if one of them had unconsciously done something wrong? What if the dew had been touched by sunlight? One of them would be going to the infirmary and they would have to explain what they were attempting.

Both Jasper and Nova looked just as paled as she did, but it was Jasper who spoke. "We've come this far. It's about time," he raised his vial and uncorked it, the girls following suit as they all prepared to say the words.

" _Amato Animo Animato Animagus_ ," they chanted in unison, tipping the vials down their throats.

Tansy had the worst reaction first, the potion blinding her as she fell to her knee in the muck at the bottom of the owelry. Her insides felt like they were twisting, shifting, and being torn apart. Her breath was like fire and her throat filled with embers that were threatening to tear her esophagus to shreds.

Neither of her companions were faring well either, writhing in pain on the ground as the thunder roared around them. The thunder was the only thing Tansy could hear, convulsing in pain, until finally… She could blink her eyes open. She stumbled to her feet, not noticing anything different. It wasn't until she sought her friends that her head whipped around. They were not there.

Well… one creature was. A pale white form lay limp on the ground. Edging closer, Tansy reached out to touch it, realizing that what she reached out was not a hand, but a massive black paw. She shrank away. Had it worked? What was she? Tansy spun round to see a thick inky tail that brushed the ground and a lupine body. She dwarfed the creature on the ground so much that she believed Nova had turned into some kind of rodent.

In her bout of spinning, Tansy froze, her eyes locking on a large feline, about half her size, forcing itself to its feet. Bounding over, Tansy snuffed him and began beating her paws into the dirt excitedly. It had worked! All of them were Animagi now!

Clear brown eyes flecked with gold inspected her, rounded ears flicking in mild confusion. Jasper turned his head over to Nova who had yet to rise. When she did, Tansy realized that she wasn't a rodent, but a pearly white wolverine.

 _And she sticks out like a sore thumb,_ Tansy thought nudging Nova with her nose.

Nova turned around, trying to tell what she was, but ended up gazing up at Tansy, scowling somewhat.

The three enjoyed the freedom of their forms before Jasper shifted back first. Tansy and Nova followed soon thereafter.

"What was I? I couldn't tell," Nova asked, glancing at her hands, astounded that it had actually worked and none of them had become abominations.

"A wolverine. Befitting," Jasper grinned.

Nova leered at him, but didn't seem displeased with it. Wolverines were known for being savage creatures despite lacking the size of larger predators. "Tansy, you were an enormous wolf."

"She's not lying, I don't think I've ever seen a wolf that large. Your head reached about where it would when you stand as a human," Jasper nodded.

"The dire wolf," Tansy muttered. "My family's sigil is of the dire wolf, that must be what I took the form of."

"What was I? I could tell I was some kind of large cat."

"A puma? Mountain lion?" Tansy told him, she would have expected the form of fox to also be chosen as his animagus form, but none of them had a say in what form they would be given.

In the distance, they could hear the bell tolling.

"Oh shoot! I have to get going. Can we continue this later? That wasn't nearly enough time in our animagus forms," he ran off before waiting for either girls to answer.

"So..." Nova began, watching him disappear through the wall of rain. "None of these forms are going to make our lives exceptionally easy for sneaking out."

She was right, someone would definitely notice a giant wolf or a mountain lion prowling around, especially seeing neither were native to Scotland. "We'll have to find a way to get outside first," Tansy remarked as she sniffed at her cloak. "Erg, we should go change. Hopefully this rain will let up."

Back into the swirling chaos, Tansy and Nova excitedly trotted back to the Slytherin common room, nonplussed by the weather. The fact that the potion had worked and they were now animagi… And unregistered… If anyone found out they'd be in a lot of trouble. Maybe they'd tell eventually, maybe not. Each animagi form also had some sort of identifier as to who they were. None of them wore glasses, so the spectacles wouldn't be imprinted in their fur. Nova's fur was a brilliant white, uncommon for a wolverine, and she wasn't albino, which could have been enough of an indicator, her pads black instead of pink.

Tansy hadn't seen it, but Nova pointed out that beneath her shaggy fur, she could see the black ragged scars that she possessed from the small of her back to her abdomen, where fur did not grow. Neither could recall well enough what might have identified Jasper.

Putting on the most weather resistant gear they had, they took umbrellas with them and ponchos to watch the Quidditch game; Gryffindor vs Slytherin.

At this point, Tansy didn't know who she was even cheering for (not that she ever cheered out loud anyways). The sky was still open above them, even though the thunder had abated for now, the wind and visibility was atrocious. Seeing any of the members on the field was difficult from the stands, where they were stationary. Tansy could only imagine how awful it was on the field.

The playing reflected the foul weather and shots were hazy at best. Tansy, squinting through the rain, could see that both keepers were easily deflecting the shots made by the quaffle. The bludgers were the issue, even the beaters were having problems seeing them or catching up to them. Only clever shots made it into either goal, using the cover of the rain to trick the keeper where the quaffle actually was. Points climbed very slowly and at this point, it was anyone's game. Whether or not the seekers had a view on the snitch was uncertain as well.

Gryffindor was deflecting more goals successfully and Slytherin was down by 50 points. The game was going at a grueling pace. A crack of thunder splitting overhead brightened the field and when everyone could see again, a pair of Gryffindors had to untangle themselves. For the first time in a while, the bludgers were visible in the fading light. Another peel of lightning overwhelmed the field and if Madam Hooch was blowing her whistle, no one could hear it.

 _This is dangerous. Why isn't the game being stopped?_ Tansy wondered, but once a Quidditch match started, it could only be ended by the snitch being caught, regardless of weather. The first casualty was a Slytherin chaser who lost control of their broom and went flying into a pillar. He was replaced with one of the substitutes and from then, players slowly started to drop like flies. Whether it was Gryffindor or Slytherin, the storm did not care.

A hand went to Tansy's arm and in the break of light, she saw the silhouette of one of their beaters on the Gryffindor side of the field. She didn't know why Nova was grabbing her, lightning flashing again, obscuring their view of the field. She saw it once the light was coming to and a bludger whistled right toward Jasper, who was fixated on the chasers coming at him with the quaffle.

"Look out!" she screamed, but another clap of lightning drowned her voice out and when they could see the field, Jasper was spiralling down toward the grass.

A few other Slytherins regarded her thinly, having overheard her shout to the Gryffindor keeper. Either way, Tansy was on her feet and heading down to the field, rain blinding her as her pace quickened. The game continued above them and a few other people have come out to try and assist yet another fallen player.

Tansy recognized one as Sable Foxglove, who shot her a glare for daring to come over. Jasper was unconscious and his right arm was contorted unnaturally.

"Broken arm," Sable muttered, dubiously accepting the help of Tansy and Nova to haul Jasper to his feet. "Might have a concussion too, but we can't be certain until he wakes up. He has to go to the hospital wing."

"We can take him. You're probably going to be needed on the field still. He's not going to be the last one down," Nova told her as Sable was about to help them.

"At least let me splint his arm. You won't be able to use his shoulder for support if it's broken like that," Sable told them. She used a bandaging charm to properly splint and align his broken arm before Tansy and Nova hauled his limp form along with them.

"Might have been easier to keep him on the broomstick," Nova grumbled as they struggled back up toward the school, damp shoes slipping through the mud. Eventually, they got him up to the hospital wing where a few other Quidditch players were already lying down.

Madam Pomfrey sniffed and directed them to set him in a bed, pleased with the splint that he had been given.

"You shouldn't have moved him if you believed he had a head injury… But better to get him out of the freezing rain, I suppose," the mediwitch clucked, using a spell to drain the water from Jasper's team uniform. "Off you go. I've got enough to deal with right now and I don't need to be tripping over students making sure their friend is alright. He will be safe in my hands. Come back tonight once everything has calmed down."

Tansy and Nova left at her request and went back to the empty Slytherin common room. Most people were still at the game, which at this rate wouldn't end unless the storm subsided. Even the inky water of Black Lake swirled against the windows. Both girls bathed and changed into more comfortable attire, warm sweaters, pants, and boots. Lounging in front of the hearth to warm their skin, Tansy sat with Pumpkin on her lap.

"I wish they'd just cancel games if the weather was that bad," Tansy muttered sourly.

"Wizards take Quidditch very seriously," Nova replied.

"Eh, I still don't get it. It's not worth that much. It's just a game."

A few people entered the common room after a good amount of time had passed. They didn't even have to look to know it was Gabby and what few friends she did have.

"Did you see that Gryffindor keeper? Knocked clean off his broomstick by _my_ boyfriend. Maybe he should learn not to try and hang out with us Slytherins," Gabrielle boasted.

Tansy tried her best to not make a face, not react to the chuckling behind them. She had found it funny when a doxy attacked her rival, but that was hair pulling veruses broken bones. What was so funny about that? It had been difficult to see anything in that game and she wondered if Ramsay had intentionally hit the bludger at Jasper. If he did, Tansy knew she was going to have a bone to pick with him, but with the way her temper had been since the beginning of the school year, she decided it best to not let Gabby's words get to her.

Fixating on her grandfather's journal, she went over some of the defensive spells he outlined to deflect dark magic. She would be going over it with Professor Potter and found it beneficial to reread her grandfather's logs at least once a year to stay sharp on his work.

"Do you think Ramsay really hit the bludger at him?" Nova interrupted her studying.

"At this point, I wouldn't put it past him," Tansy grumbled, though she also wanted to believe that Ramsay wouldn't do something that foul. He had been their best friend for three years, how could he spiral downwards in just a couple month's time?

"It's her. She's got the 'old' Slytherin mentality," Nova spat, disgusted by those who joined Gabby on the other side of the common room, as far as they could be from them.

"She'll learn. Perhaps not soon, but eventually. The Ministry isn't about their purist ideas anyways."

Tansy and Nova worked on their homework and more Slytherins filed in with the conclusion of the game. They had won after scoring the snitch and the weather had still not abated. Even their feat of becoming animagi was forgotten, as one of them was unconscious in the hospital wing. Eventually, Tansy decided to go off on her own, leaving Nova to grumble about her qualms to Basil and Delta.

The halls had some semblance of students as many were unwilling to go to Hogsmeade during the foul weather. Some were studying and others were just talking with friends. At the hospital wing, a total of six players had been told they had to stay the night to be monitored. To her great dismay, Jasper was still asleep. Pulling up a chair, she opened her potions book and resumed her homework. People were in and out, quietly visiting the members of the Quidditch teams to see how they were doing.

A couple even visited Jasper, nonplussed that Tansy was sitting by him despite being from Slytherin. _Ironic how everyone complains about Gryffindor being the problem, but when I'm friends with one, suddenly it's the Slytherins who have an issue with it,_ she thought glancing at the clock. She's have to head back soon.

"Belmont? Is that you?" Jasper croaked, finally blinking open his eyes. He flinched at the dim lights in the chamber, brows furrowing in pain. "Argh, how long have I been out?"

"All day," she informed him shortly.

"What happened? I don't really remember."

"You got blindsided by a bludger. Took you right out of the sky. Nova and I brought you here. Madam Pomfrey said that most of the bones in your arm were shattered and that you have a mild concussion."

"Sounds about right," he snorted, glancing at his arm, twiddling his fingers. "I seem... ok, now."

"She mended your arm no problem, said you'll have to take a short break from Quidditch until it's back to its normal strength, but your concussion was what she was really worried about."

"Just a headache. I'll be fine," he brushed off. "I don't think we'll be doing any adventuring soon."

"Eh, get better first. We'll worry about that later. And try not to seem so alert or Madam Pomfrey will send me on my way and tell you to go back to sleep."

"Darn, so it sounds like I'll be well enough for classes on Monday then."

"Yup, you're going to have to get hurt a lot worse to get out of class. I could give you a few recommendations if you'd like," she mused, closing her book.

"Let me guess... Fight a banshee or something like that? Why don't you give me a suggestion that's more plausible?"

"Hey, fighting a banshee is very effective if you want to be out of school for a while," Tansy insisted, one hand subconsciously wrapping around the scars that were hidden beneath her sweater.

But before they could continue their conversation, Madam Pomfrey swept in like a bat out of hell and gave Jasper a sleeping draught after assessing his condition. She sent Tansy on her way and insisted that Jasper would probably be released from the infirmary the next morning.

Upon returning to the Slytherin common room, she saw that there was some sort of celebration going on for winning the game. Completely disinterested, she was starting her way back to her dormitories when she heard someone call her over. Spinning around, she saw that a throng of her housemates had collected by the hearth. She didn't spot Nova among them, the girl had probably gone back to their dorm where she could talk in peace with the other girls in their year.

 _Should I even bother?_ she wondered silently, but her feet brought her over to them anyways. She crossed her arms, waiting to see what they had wanted. A few people were taken aback that she had even come over.

Tansy didn't speak, she simply gave them all a sweep over with her eyes, questioning them without words.

"Did you enjoy the game today?" someone finally asked between snickering from the rest of the group.

 _Why did I even bother?_ she thought, wishing she'd just ignored them. "Wasn't much to see. Could barely make out what was happening from the stands. I figure it was worse in the air, most of the plays were made out of sheer luck," she retorted smoothly and disinterestedly.

"But you have to admit, Gryffindor lost a lot of players."

"Little rain never hurt anyone. At least, not before today."

"Did you go and check on all of your Gryffindor friends in the hospital wing?"

"Just because you all can't see further than your own noses doesn't mean you shouldn't show empathy toward those you don't get along with," Tansy grumbled, about to leave.

"Gryffindor has done nothing but slander us. Why would we care what happens to them?"

"It's attitudes like that which continues to prove them right. Perhaps if you stopped acting like children and got over yourselves, Gryffindor wouldn't think you were scheming the majority of the time."

"Oh yes, why don't we all be best friends with Gryffindors. At least some of us have a shred of dignitiy and don't go snogging the first attractive Gryffindor they cross paths with," Gabby spoke up this time, nearly sitting on Ramsay's lap.

"Be careful spreading lies again. Your insecurity is showing," Tansy sneered before spinning on her heel and retreating.

Did people really think they were a couple? Nova was with them a lot of times, but perhaps it was just easier to believe that'd be the only way a Slytherin and Gryffindor would be together. Maybe Nova only tolerated Jasper. Maybe Tansy didn't understand the feud between the two houses because she hadn't grown up a witch. Maybe Tansy had feelings for him because he lived next door to her. Maybe, maybe, maybe. That's all it was, speculations that were not backed up by anything and yet the comments still got under her skin.

 _I've gone to Slytherin hero to zero, haven't I?_

* * *

"We can't really slip out... We have to find another method," Nova remarked during their walk from Defense to Care of Magical Creatures.

"We'll figure it out, there's no rush right now," Jasper said, having returned to classes at the beginning of the week.

"No rush except some evil wizard is plotting and will strike who knows when.," Nova retorted dramatically.

In front of Hagrid's hut, huge winter gourds were growing in a patch. The pumpkins had been removed for Halloween to be carved into jack-o-lanterns large enough to fit three students, but Tansy was curious to see what they'd make with the rest of his later growing gourds. Today, they expected to see some sort of new magical creature. Professor Clarke had been laying back, still nursing himself back to health after his unfortunate crossing with the Runespoor.

However, as they approached that day, the auburn haired man was lively and bouncing around the students who had filed in. A distinct burning smell wafted from further into the forest, along with smoke, making many wonder if the woods were on fire. But due to the relaxed nature of Clarke and the eager smile on Hagrid's face, the students were led to believe that the subject of their lesson would be waiting for them.

Tansy and Nova were just as confused as the other students, but Jasper was beaming, looking just as excited as Hagrid.

Once everyone had collected, Hagrid began, "Today, I'm pleased to announce that we have some Dragonologists visiting. They're here to show off a local specimen and teach you about dragons. Now, my suggestion for everyone is to remain calm and not become rowdy for any given reason. The breed they've brought is relatively mild mannered, but with this many people around it might have cause to be startled."

Mutters rang among the students. A dragon at Hogwarts? There hadn't been dragons had Hogwarts since 1994, much before any of their times. Awaiting the next set of instructions, the students lined up to be led deeper into the forest. There, flanked by a dozen Dragonologists, was a brilliant emerald beast contained in a cage that could have fit Hagrid's hut within it.

The dragon had a long serpentine neck, horns pronging back and away from its face. Wings were folded neatly against its back and it appeared to be relaxing or sleeping. Smoke escaped the large nostrils and for a moment, the dragon blinked open one large brown eye, regarding them all thinly, before closing the lid again.

Hagrid sauntered up to a red haired Dragonologist and beamed at him. Said wizard appeared to be the leader of the group that had collected there.

"Good afternoon everyone. My name is Charlie Weasley and I work for the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary. Behind me you can see a Welsh Green, which has been subdued by me and my colleagues. She's en route to our sanctuary after being spotted by some muggles," Charlie launched into the biology of dragons, the features of the dragon behind him, and where her breed was indigenous to. They learned that the dragon usually preyed on sheep and other small mammals, tending to stay away from humans (except in a few rare cases). The Welsh Green's roar also was somewhat melodious, but the female didn't grace them with that honor as she slept peacefully.

The students were perplexed and even after the class had ended, remained to bombard Charlie with questions. Some wanted to touch her, but Charlie advised against it showing his own share of scars riddling his forearms and hands. Only Hagrid was allowed as close as the Dragonologists, his black coal eyes twinkling as he marveled at the beauty.

Tansy thought the dragon was marvelous in its own, wild way, but she didn't want to go near it. The last thing she needed was it to start talking to her like the Runespoor. Did dragons speak parseltongue? Did dragons speak at all? She was waiting for her companions to finish talking to the Dragonologists when she felt a hand clamp on her shoulder.

Dagger raked across her back and the hair on the back of her neck stood straight up. Few people touched her and they didn't do it when she had her back to them. Craning her head, it wasn't any of her friends, but the very person she dreaded. Two months had had escaped his coy smiles and looks, but now he was smiling brilliantly as if his teeth might blind her.

"Not going to join the others and ask about the dragons? You seemed to handle the Runespoor quite well Miss Belmont. Perhaps dragons as well..." Clarke said, giving her a friendly squeeze on the shoulder.

Tansy wanted to shake him off, he was rather close and it made her incredibly uncomfortable. Before she could even utter a word, he spun her around.

"Why don't you give me a hand with something? I need a student of your talent to help transport some Glow Bugs that just came in."

"Perhaps we should grab a couple of other students too? To help, you know?" she suggested as he led her away from those entranced by the dragon.

"Oh, no need. Let them enjoy the dragon, it's only a few boxes," he insisted as they headed back in the direction of Hagrid's hut.

Tansy's heart hammered so hard that she had trouble hearing anything else aside from her short breaths. She was just going to help him with the Glow Bugs and she'd go and find her friends right away. No harm done, just helping a professor. But Clarke had not let go of her yet, his hand having moved around her shoulders so that they were walking toward the Magical Creatures shed like old pals.

As promised, there were a few crates outside the barn, but Tansy wasn't entirely certain why he couldn't have done it himself. Through the slats, she could see the flickering lights of the Glow Bugs and when she picked the crate up, it was light and empty feeling. The barn was dark and assorted with various Magical Creatures that were contained in habitats. Tansy paused in front of one enclosure, a dark serpent banded in beautiful cerulean scales gazing back at her. The enormous snake had a pair of horns turned back from her face and a gemstone on the center of its head. Its brilliant eyes reflected her own and Tansy found herself staring back.

"A Horned Serpent. Beautiful species. A shame that Europe has eradicated them. This one is from America, Ilvermorny is letting us borrow her to teach some lessons," Clarke informed her, nonchalantly placing his hand on the small of her back, trailing down.

Tansy, so astounded by what was happening, took a moment before sidestepping. The eyes of the Horned Serpent followed her and the creature let out a low. " _Run_."

Taking heed from the wise creature she gave a shaky smile at Clarke. "I think I had better be going now. My friends will be wondering where I've gotten to," she told him politely, trying to skirt around him.

"They'd understand if you were spending time with a professor. I've wanted to have a conversation with you regarding-"

Tansy didn't wait to listen, she ducked around him and made a beeline for the door and out. Her heart skipped a beat as she nearly ran into a throng of students, thankful that they had been so close. She found Nova and Jasper among the group being dismissed.

"Was wondering where you got off to," Nova commented, oblivious to the events that might have taken place in the barn if Tansy hadn't made a run for it.

 _Nothing happened, don't get flustered about it,_ Tansy told herself, but couldn't shake the feeling. "Just helped transport some boxes. No big deal."

"I'm surprised you didn't have any questions about the dragon. Charlie knew soooo much," Nova told her, launching into all the things Charlie had told them during their after class session.

Tansy, still shaken by the ordeal and unable to put it into words, for fear of sounding mad, decided to go for a run to clear her head. This year had thrown her for so many loops, testing the amount of mental fortitude she had. She wondered why it all had to be compounded at once. Why this couldn't have been spread out among the past couple of years. Losing a friend, feeling like an outsider in her own house, unwanted and unwarranted attention from a professor...

She could get past this all, she was strong, she had braved worse when she was little. Tansy was a fighter, a survivor, and the events of this year could not weigh her down.

 _Then why do I feel so heavy?_ she thought, glancing up at the molted sky desperately. The mid November sky threatened to open up on her, but despite it she decided that she was going to go down to Hogsmeade to get a candy treat, hopefully brightening the gloomy day with a sweet.

Picking her way to Hosgmeade, Tansy felt like a bum dressed in her baggy joggers and sweatshirt. Typically, she was very clean cut, conservative, and groomed. Now a few pieces of hair had flown out of her ponytail and she had unzipped part of her hoody to allow some air into, revealing part of her sports bra. While passing Madam Pudifoot's she swore she saw Ramsay and Gabby sitting at a table through the obnoxiously pink window.

Honeydukes smelled wonderful from down the street and when she entered, she felt her spirits lifting with the sight of shelves upon shelves of the most perfect looking sweets. Tubs of toffees, salt water taffies, walls of various chocolates, nougat filled goodness, lollipops, and cakes were displayed in front of her. Tansy, feeling boring, went for a small container of the salt water taffy and paid without issue. Thankfully, the store covered the smell of her sweat and when she exited, she bumped into a group of Gryffindors.

Her mouth nearly glued shut with the taffy, she had trouble clearing her throat and speaking. "Sorry about that..." she mustered, but it sounded like 'sserry boot tha'.

"Oi, Belmont you want to join us?" she realized it was a few Quidditch players, including Jasper who was dressed in a leather jacket and jeans.

Tansy was dumbfounded by their invitation and must have looked like a fool eying them all, perplexed. Finally swallowing the taffy, she contemplated her position, and decided why not. "Uh, sure."

Following the Gryffindors to The Three Broomsticks, Tansy became suddenly aware of how shabby she looked. Not to mention she was with a group of all Gryffindors. She could come up with her own insults to what other Slytherins might say if they saw her. 'Slumming it with the Gryffindors', 'More comfortable around those bozos in her worst clothes', 'No shame whatsoever'. But as she thought of all of the wild insults, she thought, _I don't have any shame. They're being nicer to me than half of my house._

In the beginning, she assumed that they had only invited her because she was good friends with Jasper. Why else would they tolerate her? Sitting around the table with her was fellow 4th years Jacob Mason, a broad blonde Beater and Roland Asp, a mocha skinned lean Chaser with nearly shaved black hair. Their Seeker was a 6th year by the name of Kline Gallagher and to many younger girls, he had a smolder that could kill with his tan skin and brown hair that was parted to the side.

Only one of the players was a girl, a Chaser by the name of Arianna Plante, who had a long braid of honey gold hair. And despite it all, Arianna actually seemed like the most approachable one with her soft, kind features and heart shaped face.

A round of butterbeer was brought out and the feeling of oddness faded had soon Tansy had shared her tiny hoard of taffies with the rest of the table.

"You know Belmont," Roland began, halfway through his second mug of butterbeer. "I thought you were a bit stiff, but Jasper has been telling us that you actually have a sense of humor."

"Ironly gives me more credit than I deserve. However, I suppose I've got to have a wry sense of humor to deal with half of the people in my house," Tansy replied primly, eliciting a few chuckles around the table.

"We also heard about what happened a few weeks ago with the Slytherin Quidditch team. Takes a lot to call your own house mates in front of a crowd of people," Arianna commended.

Tansy sighed, thinking back to how her fury had bubbled over. "Look, the whole ordeal... I don't like when people spread rumors that aren't true and I have no issue refuting them, even at the cost of my own dignity. Being in my house or being my friend doesn't give you a free pass."

"They were trying to get a response from us. I don't think they expected her to be the storm she was," Jasper grinned wolfishly.

"It's people that act like that who don't help Slytherins' case. I mean, in the Second Wizarding War, Slytherins were aligned with the Dark Lord. People try to think better of them now, but when they're being inclusive and insulting every other house, it's hard to imagine they've changed," Kline remarked, shaking his head.

"Gryffindor and Slytherin have never gotten along, but it only takes one person to try. But you've always had friends outside your house, haven't you?" Jacob directed his words at Tansy.

"I have some friends in Ravenclaw and a healthy academic rival in Hufflepuff. I do admit I haven't gotten along with Lyla Ibex in the past..."

"No surprise there, though she's been a bit more tolerable this year," Arianna huffed, shaking her head.

"What, you all have problems with her too?" Tansy couldn't help but smile.

"Don't judge Gryffindor by her, please don't. Talk about coming from a family believes in blood purity still, yikes... No offense, Ironly," Arianna complained.

"None taken," Jasper shrugged.

"Took her a few years, but she now isn't parading around like she owns the place. We're not going to mention that clique she has," Arianna seemed to shudder.

"Oh you're just mad you're not in the Pretties club," Kline teased, elbowing her playfully.

"You do have to admit, they all are lookers. I don't think I mind the Pretties that much," Jacob agreed much to Arianna's chagrin.

"And they know it, that's the only negative thing. Tipping their noses up at everyone," Arianna continued.

"Wouldn't know the feeling," Kline said airily. "But they seem too high maintenance, not my type."

"Oh Merlin, just start dating you two," Jasper complained loudly.

Arianna's fair cheeks became rosy, but Kline only grinned at the younger Gryffindor. Instead of answering him, Kline shoved a taffy from the center of the table, cementing his mouth shut for a while.

"You're one to speak, hanging around with two Slytherin girls all the time," Tansy retorted, causing Roland to snort so hard that butterbeer came out of his nose, the rest of the table to breakiny out in a fit of tearful laughter.

Tansy stayed along with the Gryffidnors until it was getting close to curfew. They were loud, good humored, and friendly to her, putting aside the expectations they originally had for her. Perhaps they drank a few too many rounds in the amount of time that they were there, but Tansy had a lot of fun.

The group broke up and Tansy ended up heading back toward Hogwarts with Jasper.

"See, Gryffindor isn't as bad as you thought them to be," Jasper said in a light tone.

"No, I'm pleasantly surprised. I had a good time," she admitted, her worries washed away from the refreshing exchange with Jasper's friends.

"You went on a long run, huh?"

"Yeah, clears my head. I think I did a few laps around Hogwarts tonight," she barely realized how much time had passed for the Gryffindor team to get out and go for a round of drinks at The Three Broomsticks.

"Why? Something on your mind again?"

Tansy didn't get to answer when a peel of lightning clapped overhead, summoning rain which came down in a torrential downpour. They began running up the slope to Hogwarts, trying to beat them before they became muddy. Eventually, realizing there was no hope but to return to Hogwarts soaked to the bone, they began walking.

Jasper offered Tansy his leather jacket, which was resistant to the water and acted as a shield on her head and back as she wore it to stop her sweats from bogging her down anymore. Eventually, they had to part ways when heading to their respective houses and Tansy forgot that she had his coat, entering the Slytherin common room with it on.

Something bothering you? The words echoed in her head as she felt some people give her a disdainful leer, perhaps recognizing the jacket ad who it belonged to.

 _Yes, a lot of things are bothering me and I'm almost wishing that I asked to be in Gryffindor instead._

* * *

 **Just wanted to share the patronuses vs animagi forms. It's known that while Animagi can having matching Patronuses, it is not always the case, as we witness in our protagonists. I thought long and hard about what I wanted to choose and wanted to give you the blurbs for each so you know what I wanted to reflect in each character. Using two Patronus Meanings from 'patronusmeanings' on Tumblr, here are what each of our character's corporeal patronuses mean.**

 **Corporeal Patronuses**

Tansy - The Runespoor

The left head (from the perspective of someone facing the snake) is the planner; it decides where the Runespoor is to go and what it is to do next. The middle head is the dreamer (it is common for a Runespoor to remain stationary for days lost in glorious visions and imaginations), and the right head is the critic; it evaluates the efforts of the left and middle heads with a continuous irritable hissing, and its fangs are highly venomous.

The symbolism behind why her patronus takes the form of the Runespoor deals with the internal conflict Tansy often has. She's a highly critical person, especially of her own actions (the right head) and contemplates why can't control her own emotions at other times. Sometimes, her fury gets the better of her and she acts without thinking (left head), resulting in mental backlash. But deep down, Tansy has an idealistic mindset that drives her (middle head) and is from which her morals derive.

Jasper - The Fox

Those with this patronus are Adaptable and independent. Strong characters make people with the fox difficult to be around at times. Milder characters can be easily overpowered by the fox. If you have this patronus it is likely you can adapt to change with little distress. A key skill if you're facing a world of Death Eaters and war. Those with the fox are often the clown in social situations and make many friends through this trait, however, they are independent at heart and won't sacrifice personal beliefs for anybody.

Nova - The Polecat

Those with the polecat patronus are playful or humorous in nature. Those with the polecat Patronus are family/friend orientated. They enjoy spending time with close friends and family and are always there when needed. People who conjure the polecat are also opinionated, whether these opinions are expressed or not, people with the polecat are very sure in their beliefs. If this is your patronus then you stand by what you believe and aren't easily corrupted. Those with the polecat are inquisitive. Those with the polecat are always looking for an adventure.

 **Animagi Form Analysis**

Tansy - The Dire Wolf

Wolf symbolism is clearly stated as: Wolf is a symbol of guardianship, ritual, loyalty, and leadership. Wolf has the ability to make quick and firm emotional attachments, and often need to trust their own instincts.

And while the Dire Wolf shares these traits, we see that Tansy yearns to connect with her family on an extreme level. Her wont to be among them has given her the very form of their sigil. The wolf does well to reflect how Tansy is on a personal level, but there are minute differences between the wolf's larger dire counterpart. The dire wolf is less fearful and more willing to attack than a normal wolf, as reflected in Tansy in her later years. She does not stand for slights and defends herself or friends tooth and claw. Dire Wolves are also viewed as a creature of the night and symbolise the 'end' as in Norse Mythology regarding Fenrir, the wolf that was to swallow the world. Such dark tidings link to Tansy and her worry of falling to the darkness.

Jasper - The Mountain Lion

Mountain Lion symbolism is : The mountain lion is a very diverse symbol, linking with its counterpart the lion. Its most common traits are: leadership, strength, courage, integrity and power. As well, using powerful short energy bursts to achieve something is also words that could be used to describe this animal. Also to describe the mountain lion,

Strength, assertiveness, personal power

Predatory feelings, such as anger, aggression directed at someone else

Personal struggle to deal with these feelings

Jasper faces many adversities from beginning school as a Gryffindor and not comprehending how he couldn't be placed in Slytherin. However, the Sorting Hat intended for him to placed in such house and this is reflected by his Animagus form (being nearly the Gryffindor sigil). Jasper deals with internal struggle a lot, his family just one of the problems he has to face and that much of his anger is directed toward. However, it is due to his integrity that he cannot align his thoughts with his own family and finds himself gravitating towards others with the same ideals as he.

Nova - The Wolverine

Wolverine symbolism is as: wolverines are symbols of aggression, ferociousness, fearlessness, courage, and violence.

Often we Nova as the spitfire who is willing to stand up from her friends and never backs down from a challenge. Fight first, think later. Sometimes her own temper backfires and becomes a sore point for her, however other students at Hogwarts know not to cross her. She may have a soft spot for her friends, but not even they are safe from her temper.


	17. Year Four: CH 6 - A Birthday Duel

**Rating has been changed to rated T for Teen due to cursing, sexual innuendos/themes, and violence.**

* * *

With the end of November drawing closer, it all brought up Tansy's birthday. Nothing spectacular really ever happened on November 20th, but that year she hadn't been expecting a surprise party. Perhaps that was why it was so surprising. She was entering The Three Broomsticks when her motley crew of friends cheered loudly at her arrival, a lopsided cake set on a few tables that had been pushed together. To be honest, Tansy decided she didn't like surprise parties as she was greeted by the Rosewoods, a few Hufflepuffs, Jasper's Gryffindor friends, and the girls from her year in Slytherin.

She shouldn't have scowled, but she couldn't help it. Nova caught her by the arm before she could spin round and waltz right back out the door. A few people had noticed her disquiet and leveled grins at her. Jasper had an especially big smile and she knew the moment she looked at him that he had been the one to plan it all.

"Aw come on Belmont, smile!" he told her as everyone gathered round the table.

Tansy forced a wry smile. "You could have just told me you wanted to have a birthday party," she grumbled.

"You would have said no!" Jasper said, which was quite true. Tansy would have said no. "This was the only way I could make it happen without you interfering and Nova helped me every step of the way."

Tansy turned to glare at the girl who pretended as if she hadn't been listening.

"Well, I guess since you've all been so wonderful, aside from Nova and Jasper, and still came to this party, I'll have to enjoy it," Tansy sighed, shrugging her shoulders slightly.

The candles were lit on her cake and everyone sang in various pitches, some making certain to make themselves as flat or sharp as possible to create a rather uneasy dissonance between the singers. Tansy inhaled and blew out the candles. Or at least she thought she had, but when she opened her eyes the candles were still lit. Sensing some kind of joke, she tried again anyways.

However, no matter how hard she huffed and puffed, the candles barely quavered. The delight of the others on intensified as she became vexed and winded, trying so hard to put them out. Tansy was about to level a glare at Jasper, who had only broken a smile, when the smallest, top layer of the cake exploded right in her face.

Her jaw dropped and she swore she could taste licorice in the frosting. The table roared in laughter and in spite of herself, Tansy began laughing too.

 _I should have known this would not be a tame party,_ she thought, using a napkin she was offered to wipe the icing from her eyes. "Clever Ironly. What'd you put in it? A firework?"

"Me?" Jasper gasped with feigned innocence. "That was all Nova."

"Hey! It was my idea, but you did it," Nova snapped back.

"I don't really care who did it. It was both of you. As long as there are no more surprises, I think we should be fine…" Tansy drawled, wiping the rest of her face off. "I just hope that no one troubled themselves to get me…" but when she was finally able to see again, she noticed various small packages that littered the table. "...Gifts."

Tansy had birthdays, but never with more than just Nova, Ramsay, and the twins. There were more than 10 people there and they had all gotten her things. She didn't care if it was just a pumpkin pasty, the sheer notion had stunned her into silence. Never, ever had she gotten this many gifts at once or ever had a proper birthday party. She'd always told her friends she didn't want one and despite that they would get her little baubles to celebrate another year passed. But now… this made up for all those years she would hum the 'happy birthday' song to herself in Burnley, wishing she had friends to party with.

"You gonna cry, Blue?" Nova taunted, elbowing her.

"Shut up! I've just got icing in my eyes. How about-" Tansy grabbed a fist full of cake and smashed it in her friend's face, much to her shock and the rest of the table.

Nova _had_ been wearing makeup, but it was smeared just like the cake on her face. A few were nervous that the girl was going to retaliate, but instead she just started laughing. "I suppose I deserve that," she chuckled, wiping her own face off. "But instead of wearing it all, I think you should cut it."

"Bloody hell, if anyone else attempted that they'd be catching Nova's fists," Delta breathed, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Oh you bet they would, but Blue is an exception," Nova told her as Tansy stood up to begin cutting the cake.

Tansy ordered the butterbeer for the table, caring less about how much everyone drank. Most of the gifts were just candies and treats from Honeydukes, but Tansy didn't care for how much they were worth. She had the most amazing time just being with others who seemed to enjoy her banter and presence.

"What're your plans for vacation?" Lee Rosewood asked her.

"I don't know yet, I'm thinking of staying here, though I know that Esta will have a fit if I even dare," Tansy speculated, smiling to herself.

"Oh, don't you and Ironly live next to each other? You'll be able to hang out during break, so that won't be too bad," Megan added.

"I'm staying here," Jasper told them, glancing at his fingers with disinterest as he leaned back in his seat.

"Yeah, haven't you heard? Jasper's parents are uber strict. They're still upset he's in Gryffindor," Roland shook his head.

"Yup, even after four years they still haven't forgiven me for something that's completely out of my control," Jasper said nonchalantly. "It's fine, I like it better here anyways."

Tansy knew what it was like dreading to go back home. She'd felt it everyday for many years before going to Hogwarts. Becoming a part of the wizarding world had just made her life entirely better. It seemed just the opposite for Jasper, who was unable to be the Slytherin his parents yearned for him to be. Tansy didn't see what the resentment toward Jasper accomplished.

"Are you going to South Africa again?" Tansy asked Nova.

"Na, the parents actually want to go a vacation. We usually spend all summer down there anyways, so they're taking the fam to Greece. I was kinda hoping to see a Manticore or something while there," Nova told her.

"A Manticore? Are you mad?" Roland questioned.

"Perhaps a little. You have to be to keep up with this one," she jerked her thumb in Tansy's direction.

"Make sense why she's friends with him," Roland shot a glance at Jasper.

"Don't make me out to be the crazy one. You're lucky I'm around to stop you from getting into a fight with half the school," Tansy arched a brow at her counterpart.

"Mm, yes the voice of reason. Is that why you nearly punched Gabby in the face last week?" Jasper recalled.

"But I didn't punch her," Tansy insisted to drive her point. "It's that self control that Nova lacks."

"I'll show you self control-" Nova started before she cut herself off, only proving Tansy right.

The party came to an end only when they realized how close curfew was. Banding together, the group started back up toward Hogwarts slowly, joking around and talking the entire way up. On the way, their paths crossed with a small flock of Slytherins. Perhaps things might have gone well, they were paying little heed to the Slytherins until the small group cut them off. Still, not problem at all, they were just heading back to school for the evening.

But as they walked, they were unable to ignore the words floating back toward them, an assembly of 'mudbloods', 'upstarts', 'pitiful', 'no shame' mixture that caused one of the Gryffindors to finally react.

"If you're going to talk shit, at least have the gall to say it to our faces!" Jacob shouted.

Those ahead of them turned around to sneer, one face blatant among them; Gabrielle. "You're not worth our time."

"Obviously we are if we're all you can talk about," retorted Arianna.

"You know, it's impolite to eavesdrop mudblood," one of the older Slytherins accompanying Gabrielle told her.

A few of the Gryffindors appeared as if they were going to lunge at her, but Tansy stepped up to divide them. "Stop it!" she hissed, glaring at both parties, but more specifically the Slytherins. "I suggest you continue ahead of us, you're vastly outnumbered," she said to Gabrielle's group.

"You really think this crew is threatening?" Gabby mused, her icy eyes twinkling with mirth.

"I wouldn't worry about them as much as me. They can't return to your common room, they don't have access to where you sleep," Tansy replied thinly, returning the look.

"You're all talk, Smelmont," but Gabrielle took the hint, flipping her hair (which smacked Tansy in the face) and continuing forward with her friends.

Tansy wiped her mouth, pulling out a strand of golden hair. Sighing, she shook her head and glanced back at the others.

"You should have let us handle her. It's about time she stopped talking shit," Roland grumbled.

"If any of you do something to her, it'll just cause more trouble. Nova and I have been considering what we'll do," Tansy promised, but Nova shot her a glance as if saying 'We do?'

The group divided on the stairwell at Hogwarts and it became just a group of the 4th year Slytherin girls; Tansy, Delta, Nova, Basil, and Robin. Nothing could have prepared any of them for the storm that had brewed in the common room and was awaiting them.

Gabrielle had been waiting, hands on her tiny hips, as she cocked an arrogant look at the 4th year girls. "There you are. Done consorting with your Gryffindor lovers?"

Robin barely managed to supress a sigh and Basil rolled her eyes. It was Delta who stepped up, towering over Gabby. "You have something you want to say? Please, enlighten us all."

"Yes," Gabby cleared her throat, making certain she could speak loud enough so that their audience could hear. "I challenge Tansy Belmont to a duel."

Delta's face shifted from disdain, to blank, and then she began laughing. "You're not serious are you?"

"Perfectly," Gabrielle told her, glancing around as other students seemed to think the idea was just as perposterious.

"Tansy... You don't have to accept. She can't demand to fight you, seeing that you're the vice captain of the Duelling Club," Basil reminded Tansy lightly.

But malice was bright in Tansy's eyes. "When and where?"

Gabrielle paused, glancing around as other Slytherins were beginning to gather. "Here. Now."

 _What a wonderful birthday present,_ Tansy thought as she glanced over at Nova, her brilliant eyes reflected by her friend's dark ones.

Slytherins were already moving chairs, tables, and miscellanous furniture to make room for the duel. Someone had challenged the vice captain of the Duelling Club and they had accepted?

"I don't know what she's playing at, so be careful," Nova muttered to Tansy as the Belmont pulled out her wand, the blood coursing through her veins.

This was how all duels were. Her adrenaline surged and her mind rapidly went over spells that she could use or counter attacks to spells being tossed at her. Tansy was best known for her exceptional defense, especially her mastery of the shield charm.

A 6th year, who was also in the Duelling Club, stepped up to moderate the fight as both Tansy and Gabrielle took their spots. Tansy, ever a good sportsman when it came to her favorite hobby, gave a low sweeping bow, her dark hair falling in her face.

Gabrielle bowed after Tansy, clearly not familiar with the duelling ettiquete.

Tansy poised, as he holding as sword above her, the girl across from her mirroring her moves with latency. The 6th year stepped up, glancing between them before giving the countdown. "3, 2-"

" _Stupefy_!" Gabrielle flourished her wand and sent Tansy flying backwards.

For a moment, her world spun as the spell threatened to render her unconscious. Onlookers muttered around them and Tansy turned, planting her hands on the ground so that she could push up and get back to her feet. When her vision stopped swimming and refocused she saw the smug expression on Gabby's face.

 _Cheater_ , Tansy thought, raising her wand again.

Gabby didn't wait for her to fully recover, but at this point Tansy knew that she was going to be underhanded about it. Aiming another Stunning Spell at Tansy, the Belmont deflected it with the Shield Charm. She let the girl hurl attack after attack, regaining her composure as she tried to break through Tansy's defense.

This was her typical strategy, let her opponents beat themselves against her wall until they faltered or showed a lapse of weakness. The more that she blocked, the more likely the opponent was to become flustered. And that's when she saw it, the small opening as Gabby tried to think of another tactic as her repeated Stupefys did not get through her shield.

" _Everte Statum_!" an orange light burst from Tansy's wand and Gabrielle was sent flying back several feet. She wheezed on the ground, perhaps from the pain of the spell, but Tansy waited for the girl to get back to her feet.

It was then that the game began and Tansy did have to hand it to her, she kept getting back up. Between deflecting her spells and sent her flying, either by the Tripping Spell or Everte Statum, Tansy decided to bring it around with a final, " _Expelliarmus_!"

Gabby's wand was flung from her hand the the force behind the spell sent her tropping backward until she fell on her back from being unbalanced.

"The win goes to Belmont!" the 6th year called, claps echoing throughout the dimly lit chamber.

 _It wasn't much of a contest_ , Tansy thought as she gave a final bow. When she turned around she looked to her friends, who were smug from the victory and the show that had been put on.

" _Sectumsempra_!"

Tansy's body laced in pain as she stumbled to a knee, blood seeping through her torn sweater and trousers. She reached to touch the spots, astounded by what she was seeing, having never heard that spell before. Shouting ensued behind her.

"The duel was over!" someone shouted.

"What have you done?"

"She's bleeding!"

Tansy felt strong hands under her arms, hauling her over to a couch. She could feel her wounds healing, but the pain was severe, burning lacerations that seemed to crisscross her flesh. Eventually she was being dragged to her dorm room and she could make out Robin's pink hair through her hazy vision.

* * *

Tansy woke up the next say, her entire body aching, and she wondered how she had gotten there. Nova perked up, sitting erect in her bed with a puffy right eye. "Blue!" she exclaimed, relief flooding her face.

"What happened? I remember winning the duel and-" she dropped off, thinking of all of the blood.

"That little bitch attacked you afterward. She used some spell that cut you up all over and you better bet that I showed her a real ass whooping," Nova snarled. "She got away with a lot worse than this," she motioned to her black eye.

"How am I alright? No one took me to the hospital wing?"

"Robin healed you, but just... be careful. Apparently you lost a good amount of blood. Take an easy," Nova warned her.

"What is she trying to prove? She just proved that she's no good at duelling and that she's willing to hurt people while they've got their backs turned. I wonder if she even has any friends left after that," Tansy commented, relaxing back against her pillow.

"I highly doubt it, the Prefect was all over her. The professors might not know what happened, but none of Slytherins will forget," Nova grumbled. "And you want to know the craziest thing? Ramsay still supports her through it all."

"Nothing surprises me with him anymore," Tansy said blankly. "Was he there during the duel?"

"No, just appeared later to pull me off the little twat," Nova replied, letting silence settle between them. "When you're feeling up to it, I'll go on a walk with you... And someone dropped this off too. I wonder if it's a poor excuse for an apology."

Nova brandished an eveloped with Tansy's name on it. Accepting the letter, she opened it.

' _Meet me tonight at the shrieking shack. Just after dinner._

 _\- Ramsay_ '

"Who was it?" Nova inquired.

"No one. Just wishing me well," she lied, tucking the note away. If Ramsay wanted to talk, Nova couldn't know or she'd be spitting at him the entire conversation. Not to mention, Tansy had no doubt that their Gryffindor friends had been alerted to the situation.

The girls sat in the dorm for a bit until Tansy felt well enough to get up. Her bloody, ruined clothes were balled at the foot of her bed. She felt lethargic and slow, as if she were sloughing through thick, viscous mud.

If the professors found out about what Gabrielle had done, it was likely that she would be expelled. Despite the pain she had caused, Tansy had no satisfaction thinking about ratting her out. No, everyone had seen her for what she was from the moment she had prematurely began the duel. Tansy could take what she had dealt, knowing that is cost Gabrielle a lot more to cast such a terrible curse.

Being outside felt a lot better than cooped up in the common room. Any people they passed had given ashamed glances and could barely look at her.

The cool late autumn air was bordering on frigid, but it felt good against her skin, cutting through the sweater. Part of Tansy wanted to just go out into the wilderness, running through the forest on four pads, but she knew that would only strain her freshly healed wounds.

"Belmont, are you alright?" Jasper approached them, his brows furrowed, face a mask of worry. He espied Nova and frowned. "Damn, you look worse than her."

"And Gabrielle looks worse than me," Nova boasted.

"You told him?" Tansy was impressed that the girl had somehow gotten a note out to him.

"Duh," Nova huffed.

"I'm alright, thankfully I have friends willing and capable of helping me. I'm a bit sluggish today, but just a side effect of the healing I suppose," she insisted, despite his dubious look over.

"It was pretty bad," Nova confessed, her face shifting as she recalled last night. "Tansy had just finishing destroying her in a duel and when she turned her back, the little brat used this spell that cut her up all over."

"One hell of a birthday present," Tansy remarked, trying to lighten the mood.

But her attempt fell flat as both Nova and Jasper regarded her with worry. "Who's to say she won't do it again? She intentionally hurt you and quite badly," Nova returned pointedly. "You're lucky all of Slytherin witnessed it."

"I thought she was annoying, but I didn't think she was so jaded she'd try to seriously hurt you," Jasper frowned. "We have to talk to Ramsay about this."

"I'll handle it," Tansy told him hurriedly, the only one aware of the meeting that was going to occur that evening.

"Handle it? You handled her and she still did that! Tansy, perhaps we should get the professors involved," Nova bit her lip.

"No, not yet," Tansy pressed.

"Than when? When she kills you?" Jasper challenged.

"She won't. I don't know if she was aware of what that spell really did. I've never heard it before," Tansy continued, trying to make up excuses.

"We're just worried about you. That went from zero to real too fast, Blue," Nova sighed, cocking her head slightly.

The day continued with both of them fussing over her and it got to a point where Tansy had grown irritable. She knew they only had the best intentions for her and Nova had just witnessed her being badly injured again, whereas Jasper had been unable to do anything not being Slytherin. The powerlessness unsettled them and with Gabrielle in Slytherin, they were worried it would escalate past the point of repair.

When it was time to shake them off, she had trouble getting rid of them. But when she insisted that she needed alone time, they released their grasp. Down the path and toward the Shrieking Shack, Tansy didn't see anyone waiting for her.

"Over here," she heard Ramsay's familiar voice hissing from the woods that flanked the fence bordering the haunted building.

Tansy approached him, wondering what excuses he might try to present.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her, giving her a nervous look over.

"Fine," she answered shortly.

"Look, I just wanted to apologize for all of this. I'm glad you're alright, but why did you have to rile her up?"

Tansy was pleased when he first started talking, but her smile faded and was replaced with a frown. "Rile her up? She challenged me to a duel! She tried to pick a bone with me and my friends and I broke it up. Don't come at me trying to make me out to be the one who is causing problems. I'd be perfectly fine if she didn't keep coming at me."

"And you made an absolute fool of her in the duel," Ramsay returned pointedly.

"Yes, because she was an idiot to challenge me. Not to mention she cheated and then attacked me afterward. Or did you forget both instances? Perhaps you should tell your girlfriend to leave me alone!" Tansy snarled back.

"She has problems ok? But I'm trying to help her," Ramsay wrang his hands together, exapserated.

"Tell her to keep her problems to herself. What is her fixation with me anyways?"

Ramsay was silent for a moment, pondering his next words. "She's jealous of you."

"Why?" she asked narrowly.

"Because originally I only dated her to make you jealous!"

Tansy was gobsmacked that Ramsay would do such a thing and that he had done it for her. Instead of making her jealous, he had ripped their friendship to shreds. "Why did you start saying those terrible things then? Why did you start ignoring us?" her voice shrank.

"I didn't mean it, I really didn't mean any of it," he hissed a sigh of frustration and pushed back his short dark hair. "I just got carried away... When I saw that you replaced me with Ironly and how much time you were spending with him... and then you were wearing his jacket..." he trailed off, unable to look at her.

"He's just my friend, Ramsay. Why did you assume? Why didn't you ask?" she desperately wanted everything to be right, to finally have one of her best friends back, but... he still supported Gabby.

"Don't give me that load of hogwash. Maybe you think of him as only a friend, but that's definitely not what he wants," Ramsay scoffed.

"I didn't come here to argue whether or not Jasper likes me. I'm his friend, he's my friend, I've got friends in Gryffindor. Settled? Alright. Now what did you want me here for?"

"To apologize and explain," he grumbled, the conversation clearly not going in the direction he wanted. "Gabby has problems and while I was using her before... I'm trying to help her now. She's got some family problems and they cause her to... lash out. I'll make certain it doesn't happen again, but just steer clear of her."

"I've been trying to, but someone keeps riling other Slytherins against me," she gave him an accusing stare.

"Perhaps if you hadn't suddenly become buddy buddy with all the Gryffindors. Need I remind you that Ironly's parents humiliated you and your family over dinner or did you forget?"

"I do not blame him for what his parents did. You have no idea what his family life is like," she snapped back.

"Just as you have no idea about Gabrielle's... Can we just stop this? Stop bickering and being mad at each other?"

"I'm sorry Ramsay, but we can't just go back to being friends. Not after you repeatedly insulted me, my friends, and continue to defend her atrocious behaivor. Perhaps one day we can be friends again, but it'll take a lot more than an apology," she told him, watching the hurt expression. She wanted to forgive him, but the things he said couldn't be taken back. He hadn't just insulted her, he had turned half of Slytherin against her until last night.

"I... Understand..." he managed finally. "I just wanted to warn you to be careful with Ironly. There's something about him that unsettles me."

Tansy didn't dispute him again, but nodded shortly. She trusted Jasper more than Ramsay and he wouldn't change her mind. "Is that it?"

She had hurt him, that much was obvious by his face, but she couldn't falter. He had been the one to begin this process and she had to be the one to serve him the proper justice. Tansy could not bend. "No-"

A scream ripped through the air and both of them cast glances over at the Shrieking Shack in disbelief. The broken down and dilapidated building had a fence round the perimeter. They were both uncertain that had heard correctly until the wail sounded again.

"That sounds like a person," Ramsay breathed, but Tansy was already ducking between broken slats of the fence. Tall, wilted grass sprang up all around the shack and the door was very lousily nailed shut.

Blasting it open with her wand, she listened to the weeping inside of the building. Heavy footsteps thundered on the hollow floorboards before disappeating completely. The shack was trashed in litter, broken pieces of wood, shredded fabric, and just reeking piles of... _stuff_. Tansy tried to hold her nose as she and Ramsay cirled around to the top floor, wands at the ready.

They had been expecting to find some sort of creature and maybe a body, but instead they found a girl. She wasn't a Slytherin, but her face was vaguely familiar. Her clothes were a ragged mess as if a creature had tried mauling her, hair sticking out as she had been partially smothered against the sagging bed which she laid on.

Her eyes were watery, filled with tears and she sobbed loudly.

Tansy went to her side, putting her wand away so that she could check for injuries. "Are you ok? What's your name?"

Ramsay patrolled the area, keeping his own wand out to make certain that no one would sweep in and surprise them.

"Anna..." she managed in between sobs. "I hurt..."

"What happened? Who did this to you?" Tansy couldn't see any wounds on her, she wondered if the girl had been beaten.

"I-I-I-" she stammered and suddenly broke into another fit of sobbing. "I don't know!"

"Ramsay we need to get her to Madam Pomfrey," Tansy decided. "Do you think you can walk?" she softened her voice for the girl.

"I don't know," she muttered, Tansy trying to ease her onto her feet. Anna stumbled and sagged against Tansy, unable to hold her own weight up.

Tansy removed her own cloak and wrapped it tightly around the petite girl. Ramsay didn't need to be told what to do as he scooped her up and traded positions with Tansy, who retrieved her own wand.

The building creaked, but gave no other indication of what may have happened. Despite their differences, the duo flew back up to Hogwarts and brought young Anna to the infirmary.

Madam Pomfrey noticed the girl's distress and when she unwrapped her from Tansy's cloak she paled. "Mr Cavallero go get the headmistress. Miss Belmont, please stay with me."

Ramsay went off to find McGonagall and Tansy was left with Pomfrey. Anna was a mess, her eyes set on Tansy as she shook uncontrollably.

"Where did you find her like this?" Pomfrey asked, trying not to raise her voice, but she strained it.

"At the Shrieking Shack. We were walking by when we heard screaming," Tansy told her.

"Thank goodness you were nearby... Anna do you want to tell us who did this to you? Who hurt you like this?" Madam Pomfrey's face softened and she didn't look as prudent and strict as usual.

Anna shook her head. "I can't remember. I can't remember," she repeated softly, beginning to rock back and forth.

"Miss Belmont, could you do me a favor and set up the privacy shades around this bed?"

Tansy nodded mutely and did as she was bid. Her body still ached from her wounds, but what happened to Anna seemed much worse. Still, Tansy didn't know what was ailing the girl. On the surface, there were no physical wounds.

As she was finishing up placing the shades, Professor McGongall came swirling down the hall like an emerald dervish, her beady eyes wild and mad. She set her eyes on Tansy and the Belmont couldn't help but balk under her gaze.

Ramsay was not with her, likely have been sent back to their common room.

Tansy didn't know if she should leave or not as McGonagall joined Pomfrey behind the privacy shades.

"Minvera, she's been assaulted. She was found in the Shrieking Shack," Pomfrey told her in a low, quavering voice.

"Anna do you recall anything?" McGonagall's tone was gentler than Tansy believed possible.

Anna answered with a fit of sobbing.

"I will find the person who did this and deal with them personally," McGonagall hissed to Pomfrey. "See that she is taken care of."

"Of course," Pomfrey sounded sorrowful.

Coming back out, McGonagall looked Tansy over. "Did you see anything Miss Belmont? Anything out of the ordinary?"

Tansy shook her head. "I heard footsteps when I entered the shack, but... they vanished. Almost as if they had been a ghost."

"No ghost could have accomplished that," fury outlined the woman's face as she spat the words out. "I am only glad that you two had been there in passing. Why don't you go off back to your common room. We will sort this out."

"Will she be alright?" Tansy inquired.

"Physically, yes," _but mentally._.. Minvera gave Tansy a hard look before the girl decided she had better leave this to the adults.

Just what had happened in the Shrieking Shack?


	18. Year Four: CH 7 - The Disappearing Girls

Tansy never knew what really happened to little Anna the evening she had been discovered in the Shrieking Shack. However, by the state of her, the teenager could only run through various scenarios. She wondered if the girl's memories had been purposely erased so that she would not be able to name or identify her attacker.

 _That must mean it was someone at Hogwarts or else they wouldn't have gone through the trouble,_ she thought as classes progressed and Christmas break was nearly upon them.

As Ramsay had promised, he kept Gabrielle away from them, though in passing they could see her snide expressions and glares. Perhaps she really had felt guilty about hurting Tansy, though she never received a proper apology. Was wounded pride really worth maiming someone over? At least the other Slytherins didn't badger her as much as they had been before and left her to her friends in various houses. With everything returning to normal, the only bit that Tansy was missing was her old friend. Of course, she was surrounded by a lot of new ones and truly enjoyed their company, but she wished that Ramsay would just come back and join them.

"You're really going to stay here?" Tansy asked Jasper hopelessly. She had been wanting him to also return home so that they could have Rye to themselves, but he nodded.

"I can't stand being in that house," he told her as they sat by the lake, which had frozen over for the winter. A light dusting of snow covered Hogwarts and her grounds in a fluffy white blanket. "Why can't you stay here?"

"I've already tried asking, but my guardian won't let me. She misses me and my uncle wants me to visit too," Tansy said. All she really had to look forward to back in Rye was the amount of time she would have to study on her own and Esta's home cooked meals. "What's going on with you and your parents anyways? I know it's bad, but you've never talked about it."

Jasper groaned and flung himself back against the rock they were sitting on. "Where do I even begin?" he grumbled, flicking some snow beside him. "My father only cares about the Ironly appearance and I'm not exactly the clean cut, perfectly trimmed son that he wanted. Ever since I got sorted into Gryffindor he's come down on me harder. This isn't good enough, that isn't good enough, cut your hair, wear these stupid fancy clothes," he mocked his father's lurid accent. "I can't do the things I like, read the books I like, nothing is good enough for him.

"And then my mother. She's in her own little fantasy world. My parents don't really talk to each other. Father is always trying to showcase the family whereas mother is fixated on her writing, friends, and fashion articles, even though she was plainly trying to rip of the Witch's Weekly. She's been told that she'll no longer be published and yet she continues to write and send them off to the Daily Prophet, as if one day it'll show back up in the paper. I feel kind of bad for her, I wonder if she's just lonely or feel the need to prove something. If she's not out with her friends, she locks herself in her room becoming all obsessive about the latest 'trend'.

"But then it comes round to my father again," Jasper sat up, his face lined with fury. "Maybe if he just paid more attention to her she wouldn't be in this mad, downward spiral, but he continues to ignore her as she gets worse and worse. I swear, last time I was home she was watering rocks and saying that cobra lilies were going to grow from them. It's only a matter of time before the witches she hangs around realizes she's gone crazy and abandon her too. I don't know what will happen to her at that point."

"You seem like you care for your mother. Shouldn't you perhaps go home to check on her?" Tansy pressed gently.

"No, I've tried and it just depresses me to be there. It's not a home, it's a prison."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," she muttered glumly.

"Don't be sorry, it's not your fault," Jasper told her. "What about you? You clearly care for your family."

"It wasn't always like that," she drew a little picture of a cobra lily in the snow through her glove. "Before I got my acceptance letter to Hogwarts, things were quite awful actually… And I just about hated Auntie Esta."

"That jolly, mischievous woman?" Jasper exclaimed, exasperated.

"She was not like that before," Tansy launched into her past before going to Hogwarts and how she had been placed in Esta's foster home at 7 years old for being a 'troubled child'. She spoke about how the boys of the house had tortured her and strange, magical things would happen at primary school that she'd get blamed for. She had told Nova and Ramsay the same story, so they'd understand why she was the way she was. "I've come to love Auntie Esta now and I've forgiven her, stress is a terrible thing, worse than poison I'd say… but my golden years didn't begin until I found out I was a witch."

"Ironic that it's practically polar for me," Jasper remarked with a cynical smile. "All changed with just a simple letter and being sorted into a certain house."

"Even if you had gotten sorted into Slytherin, I think you'd still be the same troublemaker. Your father would issues controlling you and your mother would still be acting the way she is. Don't blame yourself for something you could not control," Tansy tried to lighten his mood.

"If I was in Slytherin, do you think we would have become friends sooner?"

Tansy snorted, getting a sidelong glance from Jasper. "I thought you were rather annoying when I first met you. I actually was pretty happy when you didn't get into Slytherin."

"Oh thanks, so it was you who jinxed me," Jasper retorted dryly.

"Ah, I think you turned out for the better," Tansy insisted with a wry smile.

"Says the girl in the house I wanted to be in," he rolled over in the snow and before she could get another word out, he turned and lobbed a snowball right into her face.

Snow blind, with the wetness rolling down the top of her cloak, Tansy let out a shrill gasp and began vigorously trying to remove the snow. "You're lucky that I have an astounding amount of patience and-" she started, keeping her composure until another snowball smacked her.

"What? You said I was annoying," he tried to shrug it off but in the end, both of them left with her hair soaking wet and the tops of the coats drenched.

"At least write me. How many people stay here anyways?"

"Not a lot, but it's not bad. Gives me time to think, less people who can bother me, more trouble I can stir up," he mused before giving her a sidelong glance. "Don't worry, I send you something. I won't leave you high and dry."

"Obviously not," she motioned to herself, eliciting a chuckle and a wild grin.

On their way back to Hogwarts (both now chattering from being cold) they crossed paths with Professor Clarke, who appeared to be making his way toward the Hogsmeade trail. He paused, eyes twinkling as he spotted Tansy's joyed expression.

"Good afternoon Miss Belmont…" he paused to give Jasper a more apprehensive look. "Mr Ironly," before devoting his attention solely on Tansy. "I was wondering if you might take a quick walk with me Miss Belmont? Hagrid and I just received some Occamy and-"

"I'm sorry professor, I've gotten a bit damp from the snow. I need to head back to my dormitory before I catch a cold," she told him hurriedly.

"Ah, yes, that would be a shame for you to catch a cold right before your vacation. Perhaps later-"

"A bunch of us are going out tonight before leaving for break," Jasper broke in, he'd stepped closer to Tansy by now, placing a hand lightly behind the small of her back.

"Right. Well, if either of you would like to see the Occamy before break, feel free to drop by," Professor Clarke invited before hurrying down the path.

The moment they were alone, Jasper gave Tansy her personal space back. His brow furrowed as they both watched the auburnette disappear into the distance. "Yikes, was he always like that?"

Tansy shuddered and nodded, thankful that she hadn't been alone. "Creepy…" she muttered, her mind flickering back to the horned serpent in the barn telling her to run. "You know… I bumped into him at Flourish and Blotts during his book signing and he started hitting on me. And after I told him I was a student… he didn't really seem to care."

"Maybe you should drop Care of Magical Creatures," Tansy shot him a dark look. "Just a suggestion."

"I like Hagrid, I really do, but I don't know if I can stand being around Professor Clarke. He really skeeves me out."

"I can see why. ' _Wanna come see my Occamy_?'" he tried to mimic Clarke's posh accent.

Tansy tried to keep herself from laughing, but his impression was rather spot. "Shut it," he mustered, giving him a shove.

They hadn't been lying about a get together before the bulk of them returned home on the Hogwarts Express. Among the Gryffindors was Jasper, Roland, Jacob, Arianna, Kline, and even Sable (from the Pretties). The Rosewood twins made their appearance with a couple of other Ravenclaws. Their typical assembly of Slytherins was also there from Tansy and Nova to Robin, Delta, and Basil. The tap on the butterbeer flowed and they all had their fun talking about their vacations to come, what people's addresses were so that they could write, and possible invitations for those who lived in close proximity to each other.

"You think your Auntie will let any of us come over? I live in Dover, that's not too far," Basil asked Tansy.

"I don't see why not, we've got guest bedrooms, so there's more than enough room," Tansy told her, excited by the idea of having some other girls in the house. It would make Hobson more tolerable. Most of the time Hobson wasn't even in the house, having her 'freakish friends' over would give him less reason.

She was sorry to see it come to an end and knew that she would missed her crew of friends and enjoying drinks with them at The Three Broomsticks. She would miss the study sessions between her, Nova, Jasper, Roland, and Jacob. And to think they'd only be gone for a few weeks, she already felt the disappointment settling in as the evening was coming to a close.

"Girl, when I get back I'm going to try and visit you. Is there anything you want in Greece?" Nova asked as they were heading back to the school.

"Maybe some Manticore scales? I know Uncle Garrick would probably love to work with them," Tansy told her.

"You know I was joking with Roland when I told him I wanted to see a Manticore, right?"

"Yeah, so like I said, I'll be expecting those Manticore scales-"

Nova gave her a playful shove. "Only if you make me a wand with the scales."

"Can do, what kind of engravings will you be wanting?"

"Gonna take over the family business, Tansy?" Jacob came up behind the pair of girls.

"Or open a new sector in the Ministry. Depends which pans out," she grinned.

"You think your uncle might offer me a fellowship if you're going to be leaving for the Ministry?" Jacob continued.

"He might. You should ask, he's always looking for eager people to apprentice."

"I wouldn't mind seeing you around this summer either. Probably the least bad Slytherin."

"Hmm, when are you thinking of going to London? I think Auntie Esta mentioned something about helping our crup de-gnome the garden. That's going to take some hard work."

Back in the Slytherin common room, many people were also celebrating. Returning to her room, she began packing her belongings, noticing an emerald glint from within the chest. She pulled out the necklace that Ramsay had gifted her and inspected it. For three years she had worn it, even that year she had felt especially good that it would have protected her had she eaten the rotten toffee, but… Now it was just a dim reminder of their fractured friendship

She ran her finger over the smooth surface of the opal before wrapping it back up and shoving it into her chest.

The next day, while students were piling their belongings, loading them into thestral drawn carriages to head down to the station. While Tansy was loading her things into a carriage with Nova and Roland, there was a loud explosion up in the courtyard behind them. Fearing the worst, they rounded to see what was going on. However, upon turning they were met with a huge pillar of fireworks in the form of dragon. It reared up high above the pillars in the courtyard before diving back down in another barrage of cracks and colors. Duplicating, pink and gold light consumed the sky.

Perhaps someone tried to make them disappear, but rather than smote out the fireworks, they blustered to life and the students were in awe by the spectacle.

"You devil," Roland muttered, shaking his head. "He's going to be helping Filch clean the whole break for this."

"Definitely worth it," Nova said, grinning wildly.

* * *

Rye was just as comfy and homey as she remember. But there was an aspect missing that she had at Hogwarts. There, she was surrounded by a plethora of friends, studying, relaxing, joking… But here she had Gordon and Hobson. Gordon wasn't bad, but he couldn't understand her magical jargon and Hobson just went off and did his own thing. From time to time, she'd glance over the garden wall to see the foreboding manse that was down a hill beside them. She wished that Jasper had gone home, but the more she looked over at the house, the more she wanted to look away.

Christmas came and a few owls had delivered her parcels. She had sent out her own treats to her friends, but hadn't been expecting such a turnout. However, two presents were not labeled and she did not know who they came from. One was a beautiful silky blanket with fine printing, it felt like liquid between her fingers and glancing at the note, she read:

' _I know you will make good use of this. I am lending it to you until your graduation._ _HP'_

Tansy didn't have the slightest inkling of what it was until she put her hand underneath it and it vanished, melting into the fabric. Her eyes widened and she snatched her hand away, hoping that no one else had noticed.

The other parcel contained an ornate box that she didn't even know how to open. She poked and prodded it until finally, after some strange sliding around, the puzzle box opened to reveal a set of watermelon tourmaline jewelry set in antique gold; a bracelet and a matching set of earring.

 _Perhaps Uncle Garrick got these for me and forgot to label it?_ She thought, admiring the gradience in the rare gemstone.

Gordon talked about his time as school for the remainder of Christmas and Hobson excused himself the first moment he got. Tansy knew he was probably outside smoking a cigarette (despite his mother's displeasure of it). In the past years, the pudgy young man had become emaciated and almost skeletal in appearance, his cheeks and eyes gaunt, hair greasy and combed messily to the side. He put up a stink for nearly any request Esta made of him and refused to be any closer than 4 feet from Tansy.

Dinner was being set up on the table, Tansy and Gordon helping to set it and moved the roasted goose to the middle along with some fresh cranberry sauce, garlic and chive mashed potatoes, honey asparagus, candied yams, hot buns, and a frenched rack of lamb ribs. Esta typically allowed them to each have a glass of wine with Christmas dinner, but when they sat down to enjoy a bottle of malbec, Esta's brow furrowed and she was unable to find the vintage she had bought for the holiday.

Hobson was also nowhere to be found.

"Hobson? Hobson!" Esta called down the hall, up the stairs, out the front door, but could not find her eldest son. "Can you two go find him?" she asked desperately.

Tansy and Gordon began searchng; Tansy went upstairs and Gordon went down the street. While glancing through the doorways she heard some rummaging at the end of the hallway, in her bedroom. She was half expecting to find Hobson in her room, but when she turned in there was a strange greenish-black bird picking through her dresser, tossing clothes and underwear all over the floor. Strange icy eyes regarded her for a moment before it turned back down to resume what it was doing.

"Hey! Stop it," Tansy cried, darting after the mournful, thin bird. It let out a long, pitiful cry before flapping its large wings and hopping onto her bed. Pumpkin, who had been regarding the underfed vulture-esc bird, hissed as it landed near her, fur standing on end.

Darting after the bird, it kept elluding her every swipe. Eventually, Mr Enright appeared in the doorway as she was trying to grab the bird, her hair and clothes a mess from jumping around.

"An Augurey?" the thin wizard remarked, brows pulling together. "How did it get inside..." but his eyes trailed over to the pile of presents that Tansy had brought back to her room and the open chest with a gemstone bracelet hanging out. "Oh no."

Enright removed his wand from his pocket and pointed it at the augurey. With a swift incantation and flourish, the augurey shifted and grew large until Hobson was sitting crouched on the floor, eyes wild and wide. He whipped his head around, slowly coming to the realization that he was no longer a bird. He jumped up and glared at both Tansy and Enright. "Freaks!" he hissed before storming down the hall.

Tansy glanced over at Mr Enright who seemed to have more of an idea of what had happened. "Hexed jewelry. Work with a lot of it in my department. Only works on muggles," his eyes went over to the box that was sitting open, tourmaline bracelet askew. "I suppose that will teach him to think twice before stealing from you..."

Tansy hadn't put the hex on the jewelry and Mr Enright hadn't been accusing her, but she was now even more curious who the gifter was. The other unsettling thing was that Hobson had been going through her belongings. She knew that he was troublesome and caused issues, but she didn't think he'd try to steal her presents.

 _Why not? He probably wanted to pawn it for money for cigarettes and who knows what else. I wonder if he took the bottle of wine too_ , she thought securing the most precious of her Christmas gifts in her Hogwarts chest, which needed a key to be unlocked. What if he had successfully stolen the invisibility cloak that she was being lent? Who knew what else of hers he had taken without being aware.

After cleaning up the mess that he had left her, she went back downstairs to find everyone waiting. The bottle of wine was also on the table now and Esta was scowling at Hobson. Hobson, still rattled from being turned into an Irish Phoenix, just sat mutely.

Dinner might have been good if he hadn't ruined it and Esta hadn't gotten over his appalling behavior. Instead of becoming the ideal son she had been hoping for (seeing that Hobson now lived in the house year round), he continued his downward spiral. He wasn't allowed a single glass of wine and poked at his food as if it were about to spring off his plate and attack him.

Tansy felt little pity for him. If he had just listened to his mother and acted courteous, he'd have little to no problem. Instead, he rebelled against even the slightest requests from Esta and when she wasn't looking, would kick Max, their crup. Once Max had bit him and ever since, he'd been careful to only get the dog when he was asleep or he had a clear path to the door that he could slip out before Max had the chance to lunge.

Max was a very intelligent beast that would follow Mr Enright around every time he visited. Crups were known for favoriting wizard kind and disliking muggles, but he did tolerate Gordon a great deal more than his brother and absolutely adored Esta. With Tansy, the dog would allow her to pet, walk, and play with him, but he was much more intrigued by Esta and Coleman.

To claim that the rest of break was boring would be an understatement. Tansy spent the majority of her time in her bedroom, reading and studying, or helping keep the house clean. She ran errands around town for Esta, making personal deliveries of the various quilts, scarves, hats, and gloves that she made. Even a few baby blankets went out to the new mothers, free of charge. It was difficult to fathom how she accomplished so many crafts without magic, but Tansy often forgot that making things was all Esta did.

In the mail, Tansy received various letters about the endeavors of her friends. Nova was enjoying Greece and had yet to see a Manticore. Jasper was enjoying his quiet time at Hogwarts, although he had gotten caught for setting off all of the fireworks and had to help Flich for an hour a day. Tansy wrote excitedly about the invisibility cloak that Professor Potter had sent her for safekeeping and that they would now be able to sneak out of Hogwarts successfully. She was counting the days down until her return.

But the moderately relaxed vacation took a strange spin one day as she was walking down Mermaid Street, package under her arm. She noticed a few wizards, in dark robes, loitering in front of one of the pubs. Her brows furrowed, trying not to watch them, but they were acting rather queer. While Rye had a lot of witches and wizards, there were muggles who lived in the beautiful town. She could clearly overhear them hissing about something magical.

"Has he found an appropriate surrogate?" one with a twisted grey beard muttered.

"Yes, perfectly innocent and pure. Which is necessary for the spell," the other robed man said beside him. "I've alerted the Ministry, but I don't think they're taking it quite as seriously as they should."

Max tugged against his leash, glaring in the direction of the wizards. He rolled his lips back and snarled at them.

Suddenly, the wizards were watching Tansy. "Hullo there," one greeted, recognizing that the canine was not of muggle breeding. "You on break from school?"

Tansy tugged on Max's leash. "Yes sir."

"That's a beautiful crup you've got there. What's his name?"

"Maxwell," she told him, bending down to keep the dog from lunging again. He was very particular about his choice of people.

"You've got your wand on you?"

Tansy didn't answer, brows pulling together.

"Sorry, didn't mean to sound strange. It's just the roads are dangerous, even here, and it's best that you keep it with you."

Tansy had not seen anything in Rye that would have indicated that the foul works occurring up in Scotland had trickled this far south.

"What are you insinuating, sir?"

"Girls like you have been getting scooped up off the streets. Haven't you seen the latest copy of Daily Prophet?" one wizard fished inside of his cloak and pulled out the newspaper.

On the front page the title read as, '3rd Year Hogwarts Girl Goes Missing. One Among 10 Female Students Across Europe Missing'. Tansy leaned forward, somewhat hoping that it was Gabby who was taken, but her face drained when she saw the name Anna Traverse, her mind flashing to the frightened little girl she had found in the Shrieking Shack.

Tansy left the wizards to talk on the street before hurrying home. Female students were disappearing across the continent? What were the chances that they were all even related? But deep down she knew it was true. What did Asmodeus need young girls for? She didn't want to even consider what terrible things had happened and might be currently happening to them.

The moment that Tansy got home she scrawled letters out to Nova and Jasper regarding what she had heard, wondering if either of them were aware of more than she. With vacation coming to a close, she didn't know how long she wait and if more bad things would occur while she was pent up in Rye.

* * *

Tansy was estatic to be back at Hogwarts, but not just because she got to see her friends again and be very far away from smelly, stealing Hobson. She was particuarly looking forward to using her animagus form and searching for the lake in her dream. Whatever had happened to Anna, Tansy knew that her dream was somehow linked to it. Not the mention she was no longer seeing from her father's perspective in her dreams, she wondered what Asmodeus was up to.

Everyone returning from their break to Hogwarts seemed to have come back with heavier bags and trunks, taking along some of their new belongings. Tansy was just glad to be back and to see the faces of her friends.

Both Jasper and Nova were bugging Tansy to show them the invsibility cloak. The three of them had to find time after their classes and the Quidditch practice to go out by the Forbidden Forest where no one would find them. Pulling the shimmering fabric from her bag, she demonstrated its obscuring ability.

"Wow and Professor Potter just gave this to you? You don't think that he knows what we're up to?" Nova asked, watching as Tansy removed the cloak, picking up the fabric between her fingers.

"He's lending it to me, but I don't know. If he does know, he hasn't ratted us out yet or else we'd be hearing about it from the Ministry," Tansy corrected.

"And he works for the Ministry too. I would have thought he'd be the one to say something rather than encourage it," Jasper was also entranced by the cloak. "Can we all fit underneath it?"

Fitting all three of them was a challenge. They had to squeeze together closer than peas in a pod and one wrong move and a foot or leg would be revealed.

"Bloody hell, Ironly. Do you have to be so tall? This would be a lot easier if you shrank some," Nova grumble from beneath the shawl

"If we move really slow, we should be fine," Jasper retorted.

"Slow? We have to go get your from Gryffindor Tower once we leave our common room. Imagine all of those stairs like this!" Nova complained.

"Perhaps I can bring you out to the courtyard and if you were to shift into your animagus form, it'd be a lot easier for you to get around. Then I can go get Jasper. Our animagus forms are a lot more out of place than an albino wolverine," Tansy suggested as she pulled the cloak off and began folding it neatly.

"That's one method," Nova nodded.

"Do you want to try going tonight?" Jasper inquired.

"No," both girls spoke in unison.

"We should prepare better for this instead of running into it. Make sure we have Dittany and a few useful potions. I would hate to run into something especially unpleasant and we get our asses kicked to the moon and back whilst extremely far from professors and help," Nova reasoned, giving the same logic that Tansy had. They couldn't blunder in ignorantly.

"I also think we should try doing a little research as well. Maybe there are some local maps. Going out on a weekend would be the most beneficial, we'd be able to use the whole day plus some of the evening."

"I have something that I wanted to tell you two too. Just don't kill me," Jasper entreated, giving a timid smile, which was uncharacteristic of him.

Nova aimed a narrow glare at him, crossing her arms.

"I have a girlfriend, but-"

"I SWEAR TO MERLIN IF YOU ABANDON US-"

Tansy grabbed ahold of Nova and clamped her hand over her mouth. "Let him talk," she hushed her best friend.

Nova shook Tansy off and leveled an accusing glance at Jasper. "Spill it."

"I'm dating someone from Hufflepuff, but I wanted to let you know that it won't affect what we're doing. She understands that I hang out with you two a lot and won't become a part of all of this... Although you might see her at study sessions and when we go to The Three Broomsticks. I wanted to tell you about it sooner rather than later," Jasper explained.

"I swear," Nova began, jauntily pointing a finger at him. "If you abandon us for her, I will hunt you down."

"Duly noted," Jasper remarked, glancing between the girls. "Look, this won't change anything. I promise it won't."

"And I'll hold you to that," Nova growled before they continued with their upcoming plans to prepare for a weekend trip.

While they created the plans, there was a small, uncomfortable pit in the center of Tansy's stomach. For some reason, she couldn't shake the lump, but she didn't mention it. Of course it was only a matter of time before Jasper got a girlfriend, he was good looking and charming, his mischievous demeanor giving him a sort of 'bad boy' aesthetic. Not the mention he hung out with one of the scrappiest witches in the school (Nova).

 _Jasper had been solid on his word before, but I suppose Ramsay was too. I just hope that his girlfriend doesn't see us as a threat,_ Tansy thought as they returned to the school.

Tansy planned on going to the library to search for maps and resources. She took a bundle of parchment with her to record pertinent information. Heading down the hall, she felt something hovering behind her.

"Gloomy and glum Belmont. Why the long face?" Peeves had materialized, hanging upside down in front of her.

"Not in the mood Peeves. I've got a lot to do," she told him gruffly.

"Belmont always has a lot to do," Peeves remarked, crossing his arms.

"Yes, and I don't need you bothering me."

"Me?" Peeves made a mock innocent face, as if he were hurt by her words. "I would never, ever bother you. Not when you have important studying to do. Not unless... Unless I knew something that could help you."

"And what could you possibly know?" she sighed, wondering why she was entertaining the poltergeist.

"I know lots of things. Like secret passages and the map-"

"Map? Peeves there is a map?"

A chilling smile unfolded on Peeves' face. "Oh yes, there is a map of Hogwarts. Shows you just where everyone is too. But I thought Belmont didn't want my help."

"Peeves-" but before she could continue, Peeves plunged into the floor and disappeared, reminding her much of the exchange her 1st year. Whenever Peeves got close to revealing information, he'd vanish with a cackle. Letting out a groan of frustration, she continued toward the library.

Madam Pince gave her a thin look over as she did all of the students who entered the library, her thin face quivering slightly, but her attention was quickly averted by students who had become too loud.

Tansy found the aisle that had relevant information on Hogwarts and her grounds. Sitting at a desk nearest a window, she studied the books, wondering if she would find mention of the map Peeves had hinted at. Her eagle feather quill scribbled quickly as she transcribed notes that would be beneficial to their cause. She had just opened an Arthurian history book when a shadow fell over her work.

Glancing up, she saw the hulking form of Hagrid, taken aback that he was in the library. She stood abruptly, her chair screeching as she did.

"Hagrid!" she began, her voice louder than intended.

His beetle black eyes shimmered sorrowfully. "I heard you were dropping my class-" he started, his voice cracking as he spoke. The gentle giant had been one of the few professors that Tansy had felt comfortable seeking after class hours. She'd helped him on many occasions with his pumpkin patch and various creatures he tried to reign in.

"It's not because of you Hagrid, I swear it's not," Tansy told him quickly, afraid that he was going to start crying.

"I know why," Hagrid sniffed, his face shifting. "It's Professor Clarke, isn't it? A lot of girl students are dropping out. Especially my best ones like you. I've already told McGonagall, but at this rate I'm going to lose half of my students."

Tansy's cheeks burned furiously as she stood before him. "Yes it is. I can still come by and help you."

"That reminds me," Hagrid finished his sniffling. "Harry P- I mean, Professor Potter wanted me to deliver this to you," he took a package out of his back pocket that appeared to have been forgotten, as it was squished.

"Oh, wonderful. Thank you Hagrid," she wondered why Professor Potter had just not delivered it himself. She had seen him numerous times already.

 _Maybe he doesn't want people knowing I got this from him,_ she thought as she accepted the parcel from Hagrid. Turning her eyes back up, she saw that Hagrid had gotten choked up again. "I doubt his contract will get renewed next year, especially with what is going on..." she told Hagrid. "Once he's gone I'd definitely take your class again."

"You have a knack for it... Especially that Runespoor," Hagrid seemed to brighten at her promise. "I'd almost say that-"

"Hagrid, do you mind if I visit you later and then we can talk more about it?" Tansy interrupted hurriedly, noticing that Pince was patrolling nearby. The last thing she needed was Hagrid speculating that she was a Parselmouth in public.

"For a cup of tea?"

"Yes, I'll come down in a few hours," she swore, Pince drawing closer.

Hagrid nodded and trundled away. Her heart went out to the groundskeeper. He had his own class and was now beginning to see it spiral out of his control due to the appearance of a 'supporting' professor. To his chagrin, Clarke was ruining everything that Hagrid had built.

Pince moved through the aisles of the library like a shark, waiting for the scent of a drop of blood, which was send her on a frenzy. Now that Hagrid was gone, she swam away and left Tansy by her window.

Tansy inspected the flattened package; small, rectangular in shape, a small note attached.

' _I intended to send this as well, but forgot about it._

 _Point your wand as state 'I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good'. To revert it 'Mischief Managed'. I know this will come in handy._

 _\- HP'_

And before Tansy could write anything down, the note lifted itself from her hand and tore itself to shreds. Glancing around wildly, no one seemed to noticed that the letter had destroyed itself. Within the parcel she found a folded sheet of parchment which was entirely blank.

That spell must be used to reveal it, she though, pulling her wand out.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," she whispered, tapping her wand on the parchment.

Right before her very eyes ink bled into the parchment and Hogwarts unfolded in front of her. Fixated on the library, she saw floating names followed by footsteps, showing the direction in which each person moved. She was so entranced by it that it took her a moment to realize that Pince was moving toward her. Swiftly, she put her wand back to it and muttered, "Mischief managed."

The ink bled away and a Pince passed her, glaring at what was on Tansy's desk, she saw nothing but a blanket folded sheet of parchment.

Tansy put the map into her bag and continued her research. She stayed in the library for a couple of extra hours, but was really eager to take a good look at the map. Eventually, as she looked out the window and noticed that dinner would begin in an hour or so, and packed up her belongings.

On her way down to Hagrid's hut she saw Jasper approaching, just leaving the Owlery. However, he was not alone and the person with him was not one of the typical Gryffindors he hung around. He waved at her and the pit in her stomach returned.

A smile twisted to her face, she didn't know why she was smiling, but she felt awkward as they crossed her. Tansy didn't really know the Hufflepuffs and it wasn't Leslie, but she was very pretty. She had a long sheet of copper hair, her small nose speckled with freckles, and her eyes a warm doe brown. She was slight and petite where Tansy was tall and thin.

"Blue, this is my girlfriend Mallory Thistle," Jasper to her eagerly.

Tansy gave an uncertain smile. "Hello, nice to meet you," was all she managed to say.

"I've heard a lot about you," Mallory gushed excitedly, making Tansy shoot a nervous glance at her friend. "Vice captain of the Duelling Club? And you're one of the top of our year," she continued excitedly.

The nerves slipped away and Tansy gave a lopsided, uncertain smile. "Uh yeah... Haha. I don't mean to cut this short, but I'm meeting up with Hagrid. Maybe we can all get together later?"

"Sounds like fun," Mallory grinned.

 _I'm sure it does_ , Tansy thought tartly before parting ways with them. On her way down the hill, she kicked a stone in front of her. Why am I like this?

Hagrid was outside of his hut, clearing more snow from the trail that led between his house and the creature barn. He perked up when he saw her, a smiling unfolding beneath his beard.

"Tansy! Might you give me a hand with this?" he asked.

Tansy pulled out her wand and used the fire conjuring spell to melt the snow on the path. Technically, Hagrid wasn't allowed to use magic, but she was clearly aware that his pink umbrella had some sort of wand quality to it. He also grew pumpkins and gourds that were much too large to occur naturally.

Once she finished clearing the walkway, she joined Hagrid in his hut for a spot of tea. The huge chairs that had once been able to fit her and the Rosewood twins now could only barely fit her and Nova on it. With just Tansy, there was a comfortable amount of space. She took her tea black, without any milk or sugar.

"Hagrid, what had McGonagall said about Professor Clarke?" she inquired.

The giant stopped humming and glanced back at her. "That she'd look into it and suspend him if there were any further issues... But what I wanted to talk to you about what the day with the Runespoor," Hagrid took a seat across from her dropping three sugar cubes into his tea.

"What about it?" she glared into her massive cup of tea.

"I heard you," Hagrid had dropped his voice. "You're a Parselmouth, aren't you?"

Unable to hide it any longer, she nodded her head slowly. "I only found out this year, but that's how I knew it would attack. The left head was quite upset and after I saw that it was because of the eggs it had been roosting."

"You have got to be careful. With everything that is going on, if anyone else finds out about this is might be bad news for you," Hagrid warned her.

"I'm related to Salazar Slytherin. I'm not a direct descendant, but Parseltongue has been passed down in the Belmont line for a very long time. None of my family was bad and Harry Potter is also a Parselmouth."

"Was," Hagrid informed her. "He only got that ability because of You Know Who. When he went and broke the link between them, Harry lost the ability to speak Parseltongue."

"Only two other people know. I'm not worried about to Hagrid."

Hagrid fidgeted in his seat and nodded. "Well, speaking of your talent. I do need your help with something."

"What do you need help with?" she inquired, setting the teacup down.

"The Horned Serpent we're borrowing. It's been sick and can't tell what's going on with her. Do you think you could try asking?"

Tansy nodded, following Hagrid out and toward the barn. She noticed a few Occamies tucked into a box sleeping soundly. The Horned Serpent was coiled tightly in a ball, barely lifting her head when they approached.

"She barely moves around anymore and I've tried various light sources and ways to heat her, but she won't move," Hagrid explained.

Tansy placed her hand on the glass. "Can I go in?"

"With the Horned Serpent?" Hagrid looked a bit nervous as her question.

"It'll be ok," Tansy promised.

Hagrid pondered it for a few moments before nodding. He allowed Tansy into the humid enclosure, the massive snake lifting her head at the noise. She flicked her tongue out, tasting the air.

" _Little one, it's you again,_ " the Horned Serpent observed.

"I hear you are not feeling well," Tansy said, approaching her cautiously.

" _One can only do so well when caged like a mindless animal. At least back in Ilvermorny I had a range to explore, a forest to patrol. Here I am pent up in this box,_ " she explained, her beautiful eyes fixating on Tansy. " _My kind were not meant to be kept as pets_."

"If we were to let you out, would you return? Or would you prefer to go home?" Tansy asked her.

" _I am not allowed to return home,_ " the snake told her mournfully, tucking her head back against her coils.

"Why?" Tansy took a seat in the straw bed, her eyes level with the serpent.

" _They sent me here because I attacked a student. They never intended to take me back. Perhaps they hoped I would die in captivity..._ "

"Why did you attack a student?"

The Horned Serpent's eyes glinted and for a moment, Tansy felt a flash of fear under her gaze, but it faded just as swiftly as it had appeared. " _He came to my den and took one of my eggs. I was protecting my children._ "

Tansy recalled how the Runespoor had reacted, she could only imagine the damage that a snake this large could do. "Did he die?"

" _No, but I wish he had,_ " the serpent told her spitefully. " _And now I am here, with my children, but condemned to this box_."

"You're pregnant?" Tansy marveled at her.

" _For now, who knows what shall happen._ "

"What if I could get you freed? Perhaps you could live in this forest and raise your children here. There are many creatures that live in these woods; thestrals, centuars, and I heard rumor about giant spiders as well, though I've never seen them. They would make good prey for you and your children, wouldn't they?" Tansy speculated.

 _"If you could free me, I would forever be in your debt little one. The climate here is not too different from my old home, though they put me in this hot box as if I cannot stand the cold..._ "

"I will try. Students are not allowed deep in the forest, so you should be safe there," Tansy explained.

" _Please_ ," her intelligent eyes twinkled and Tansy thought she saw tears in the snake's sapphire eyes.

Tansy stood up and went back to Hagrid. "She's pregnant and confined. Her enclosure is making her sick."

"What else am I supposed to do? I can't let her out, she'd dangerous, Horned Serpents have magic, Tansy," Hagrid sighed, exasperated.

"Ilvermorny does not want her back," Tansy said shortly.

Hagrid's great eye brows furrowed together. "Of course they do. Horned Serpents are rare, beautiful creatures. I'm surprised they sent her if she's pregnant."

"She attacked a student when he stole an egg from a previous litter. They sent her here to get rid of her. Hagrid, you should let her go. She can live in the Forbidden Forest. The climate here isn't too different from Massachusetts," the words tumbled from Tansy's mouth in a fit.

"Horned Serpents don't live in Scotland. If I let her go and someone finds her... Or if she causes trouble..."

"What if... she escaped? Somehow she broke out of her cell in the middle of the night and took off for the forest?" there was a glint in Tansy's eyes as she gazed up intently at Hagrid.

"Hm... that would be quite troublesome, but if she were to break out of her cage tonight around midnight, I suppose there isn't much that can be done about it," Hagrid remarked, though his eyes were intent on Tansy.

 _I'll take care of it,_ she promised silently to the serpent and Hagrid.


	19. Year Four: CH 8 - Shaded Figures

Cool, misty breath hung out in front of her like a spirit trying to leave her body as she walked through the halls of Hogwarts, hidden beneath the invisibility cloak. It was quiet, still, barely a noise, making her feel as if her breathing and walking echoed off the walls. Filch would find her and she'd be expelled for being out of her bed. But Filch or Mrs Norris never arrived and Tansy slipped out of Hogwarts without notice.

The winter eve was brisk and the closer she drew to the barn, the more underprepared and nervous she felt. What if someone found her? What if they found out that she had released the Horned Serpent? Many questions flooded into her mind, but as she faced the lock on the barn, she pointed her wand, " _Alohomora_."

A small violet light unlocked the latch and she let herself in. Most creatures were asleep, but a few who were nocturnal turned their luminous eyes in her direction, peering straight through her. She wondered if magical creatures had the ability to see through the shade, but their eyes did not follow her, they remained on the open door.

Tansy stood in front of the Horned Serpent's enclosure, she pointed her wand at the hinch, " _Bombarda_." Violently, the hinge blasted apart as if the snake had thrown herself against it and splintered it. The serpent shied away at the explosion and Tansy pulled off part of the cloak. "Will you be able to break out of the back of the barn? We've got to make it look like you escaped on your own."

" _I should be able to manage,_ " the Horned Serpent told her.

"I'll meet you around back," Tansy promised before replacing the cloak, vanishing into thin air again. Back to the front, Tansy slipped the lock back in place and circulated to find the enormous serpent slipping beneath a hole that she had created.

Once close enough, Tansy took off the cloak and tucked it in her satchel so that she could walk with the snake. Snow had began coming down in thick, heavy flakes, which would wipe away the evidence from Tansy and the creature as they treaded through a fresh snow toward the forest. The cover of the trees led for less snow and they weren't getting battered by the falling flakes. Tansy used her wand to light the way, voyaging deeper into the woods than she had ever dared.

" _With me_ ," the serpent hissed, darting toward a fallen tree that was hollowed out. Tansy ducked into the tree and the serpent coiled around her, hiding her within her muscular folds. Footsteps padded behind them and a pair cloaked of figures appeared.

"You think this is far enough?" one asked nervously, a strangely familiar voice.

"At this hour? No, this is the darker part of the woods, not even the centaurs tread around here," the other, cool voice replied. This voice she did not recognize.

"I've delivered the girl just as asked. Is he displeased?" the familiar voice was quivering, fearful, and slightly muffled.

"Displeased? No, he is quite happy with the results, she is a promising one. However, she wasn't the one he wanted," the voice was growing cross.

"He's still insistent on it being the Belmont girl?"

"Yes! It's because of her bloody family that he's not to his full power. Only a Belmont would be able to remove the curse," the other spat furiously.

"The girl is always surrounded by friends. It's difficult to find her by herself," the voice bellowed mournfully.

"You're telling me, that as a professor, you don't have the ability to get her alone?" the other asked shrewdly.

"I do, but I've already roused suspicion... Another toe out of line... I'm certain Potter has been warned about me already," he sighed.

"Well, he doesn't want Belmont for the same purpose as the other girl."

"What does he want her for?"

"Oh, he doesn't plan on killing her. I hear she's a comely child, no doubt will blossom into a proper woman and Asmodeus knows what to do with her. Do not fail us or it will be your head. You've had more than enough time to have accomplished this by now," Tansy swore she saw a wand pointed at the other figure before the pair broke off.

Tansy and the serpent remained still in the hollow for what seemed like an hour, the large horned head lifting to giving her a look over.

" _They were speaking of you little one?"_ the creature was very aware of what she had just witnessed. " _Do you know them_?"

"No, one sounded familiar, but I can't place the voice," she replied softly, but she had a feeling of whom it might have been. Only one professor was new at the school and had been oddly friendly with her. She had no doubt that the mysterious, cloaked man had been Clarke. "I only wonder what curse my family placed on Asmodeus."

The serpent hissed loudly at that name, tightening her grip slightly on Tansy.

"Do you know that name?"

" _Know it? Deep in the fibers of my being, yes. I do not know how or why, but that is a foul name,_ " she replied, loosening her grip and slipping out of their hiding hole. Once she verified that the coast was clear, Tansy slid out behind her. " _You should return, the snow is coming down harder and it is clear you are not safe here_."

"Will you be alright?" Tansy asked her quietly, afraid that being too loud would draw the strangers back.

" _You have already done so much for me. If ever there be a time... come find me,"_ the Horned Serpent dipped her head respectively and waited until Tansy had put the cloak on and vanished.

The trek back through the forest was probably the most nerve wracking, terrified that she would bump into the figures. Her feet left prints in the snow, but she trailed her wand behind her, erasing them as they appeared. In the forest, it would be more difficult for them to be covered by the falling snow.

Once she broke the treeline she was hit full force with the wind and blinding white. She couldn't even see Hagrid's hut, let alone much further in front of her. It was a miracle that Tansy made it back to the school in the blizzard. Chilled to the bone, she removed her shoes so that she would not squelch the entire way back to the dungeons, but still left trickling train of water behind her.

Back in the Slytherin common room, it was empty and silent. No one was awake at this hour. Tansy collapsed on the couch in front of the roaring hearth and rolled her wet cloak, putting it away in her bag as she sprawled out. Flickering flames toasted her frigid, damp skin, and she tossed her shoes closer. She didn't mean to fall asleep, but she tumbled into a deep slumber, satchel bag clutched to her chest.

* * *

"Blue... Blue? You have a late night studying?" Nova was shaking her awake, the dark waters of Black Lake lightened by the sunlight cutting through the icy depths.

"Uh... yeah," she rubbed her eyes and sat up, her satchel sliding down her chest. The night had been dreamless, the occurences in the Forbidden Forest enough of a nightmare. Was that Clarke beneath the dark cloak? Who was the other person? Should she tell Nova and Jasper about what she had witnessed?

Tansy got up and prepared for class, getting into her Slytherin robes. Students were marveling at the amount of snowfall that had happened last night and class outside was to be held inside the castle for the rest of the week. The only thing not canceled was Quidditch, though many students were not looking forward to having to trudge through the snow out to the pitch.

Tansy felt exhausted, dragging herself through each class. She was relieved when the day finally ended, but instead of getting to return to the dorms where she could take a nap, she was dragged aside with Nova.

"Where are we going?" Tansy whined.

"Look, you're probably going to beat the crap out of me, but I lost a bet," Nova grumbled bringing her round to an empty classroom. Only, the room had a student in it; a Hufflepuff by the name of Quentin Chambers, the one who had flirted with her at the beginning of the term.

"Uhhh..." but the door shut swiftly behind her and she was trapped in the room with Quentin. "If you wanted to talk to me you could have just asked."

Quentin was a tall, lean boy and the Hufflepuff seeker. His hair was a sandy brown and his eyes a cheerful hazel. "That's what I intended on doing, but..." he gave his head an embarrassed scratch. "I actually need a favor from you."

"Shoot."

"So you know how I was coming at you earlier in the year?"

"Uh, I guess. It was only once..."

"I was doing it because the girl I liked was nearby, no offense to you. And I was just wondering if you'd be able to help me out for a bit."

Tansy had a feeling she knew where this was going. "You want me to pretend that I'm going out with you?" she filled in. "Who is this girl you're trying to impress anyways?"

"Leslie-"

"Ah," the words escaped her mouth softly. She would have denied, should have denied doing such a thing. She had already seen how well that had gone over with Ramsay, who was now stuck with Gabby and all her baggage, but at least Tansy was going in knowing that the relationship was fake. "You know, this would probably work."

Leslie was a Hufflepuff with a determination to beat her out in every subject. Just their first year, Tansy had given the correct answer over her in DADA. Tansy had nothing against her, the rivalry that Leslie created was healthy and purely educational. If Quentin was dating her, it very well might make Leslie jealous.

"So you're in?" Quentin asked hopefully.

"Yes, but I'm laying down rules. No needless touching, I'll only subject myself to the occasional hand holding and sitting close in The Three Broomsticks. Also, no weird nicknames. Don't expect me to go over the top, I'm not going to act unlike myself to draw Leslie's attention," Tansy informed him.

"That's fine, I don't want to put you in an uncomfortable position," he grinned.

 _Isn't that what this whole thing is?_ Tansy wondered silently as she narrowed her eyes at him. Her first boyfriend and it was all a farce. Still, there was a small bit of satisfaction from the whole ordeal. She wondered how people would react. If people would react or if it would just seem normal...

"Cool, do you think you could show up after my Quidditch practice today?"

Through all that snow? "I'll find a way to manage it," she promised. "You heading there now?"

"Yeah it should be over in a couple of hours," he told her.

 _Great, just enough time to get a good nap in,_ Tansy thought as they exited the classroom.

Nova hooked her through the arm and pulled her aside. "So?"

Does she not know what that was about? Tansy wondered. "What bet did you lose?" she questioned.

"Um, perhaps it's best we don't talk about it. Not here anyways," Nova seemed to be blushing slightly, but it was always difficult to tell with her complexion. "So what happened?"

"Nothing much," she shrugged, deciding she'd like Nova to find out just the same time as everyone else. "I'm going to head back to the common room. I'm exhausted from today."

"I can tell, you've been moving like a slug," Nova sniffed, still not content with the answer she was given.

* * *

"What have you done?!" Asmodeus' voice was alarmingly shrill as he reached up to his face, a low squeak escaping the back of his throat as he tried lift his wand, but his hand moved limply beside him.

"You didn't think you'd get rid of me that easily? The Killing Curse? Pure laziness in my opinion," a voice rasped, thick with flem. Her lungs pained and she coughed, spittle frothing to lips. She was hanging from something, suspended so that she couldn't move.

"But you don't have anything. Nothing! How? How did you do it?" Asmodeus spat.

They appeared to be in the clearing which Asmodeus had been summoned in. Only, his followers were on the ground, masks shattered by spells and faces bloody and dead. The carnage encircled them, bodies strewn, some blasted to pieces.

"Leave it to a Belmont to make a bloody mess," Asmodeus sneered. "Your line is going to come to an end. You cannot keep me like this forever. Once you die, and you will die, I will be released from these shackles."

"I dare you to try. Even if you kill me, my line does not end with me."

"Ooh, have a child do you?"

A deep pain made her gasp for breath and when her head sagged, it was then that she could see the hand plunged into her chest, blood seeping around it, all over her dark vest.

"A son maybe? One day he'll come and avenge his father?" Asmodeus gave a dark and cool chuckle. "And then I'll rend his heart from his flesh as I've done you."

"Good luck," her father's voice was flat, a small chuckle escaping his bloody speckled lips.

"No..." the icy eyes of the warlock flashed. "A daughter. You have a daughter."

"Does it really matter? The Belmonts shall be your demise either way."

"Oh, but it does matter. A boy I would just kill, but a girl..." a disgusting smile unfolded on Asmodeus' painfully handsome face. "I wonder if she'll be like you or her mother. The Ollivanders? I've heard that one of those old wandmakers was abducted by Voldemort. I doubt he'll live much longer either. Either way, I expect she'd make a lovely servant..."

"You'll never put your hands on her," her father spat, but as Asmodeus twisted he gagged.

"But I will and you'll turn in your grave as I do. A little Belmont bride, oh how I can envision it. We'll have an ensemble of banshee bridesmaids and handsome vampire grooms. I will squeeze the soul right out of her and leave her alive... just barely."

Her ears throbbed and Asmodeus' dark dreams were blotted out a deep, violent rage. The blonde man's amused face contorted and he suddenly became very aware of the strange incantation that escaped the wizard's lips that he was intending to kill.

"No..." Asmodeus gasped. "No, no, no! Don't you know what that'll do to you?"

The warlock was thrown from him and he scrabbled back as she fell to all fours, prowling forward. "Deus Canis," Asmodeus blubbered, trying to scrabble to his feet as a long snout protruded in front of her, lips peeling back to reveal jagged black teeth.

 _Rip, reave, destroy. Purge this being from the earth with God's own word. I give my flesh to his devotion to eternally curse this flesh._

* * *

When Tansy woke up, her hair was standing on end. She didn't know how much time had passed, but the fear on Asmodeus' face as her father faced him with some queer spell thrilled her. There was something he feared. Whatever her father had done in his last moments had greatly hindered Asmodeus, which might have caused such a severe delay in his plans up until this point.

 _So when I thought he was killed by the curse... he wasn't?_ The carnage around him had indicated that he wouldn't be so easily dispatched and had been more than a match for the cultists. Despite the eerie scene, she couldn't help but feel the pride bubble up from her stomach and seat itself firmly in her chest. Her father had been a spectacular dueler. That was where she got it from.

It was one thing for Uncle Garrick to say she was like her father and another to witness it. The dream also filled in the blanks from the conversation between the two figures in the Forbidden Forest. Asmodeus had kept his promise and was eager to get his hands on her. The idea of being his bride was an unsavory one and she knew she'd be more than willing to end her own life than be someone's slave.

 _If Asmodeus wants me, he'll get me one day,_ she thought solemnly. But she'd only be there to finish the work her father had started.

Grabbing a heavy cloak and her good boots, she set off for the Quidditch Pitch as she had promised Quentin. Hufflepuff was just finishing up; Tansy could see Leslie up on her broom, one of the Chasers for the team. Just as they were circling down on the snow dusted Pitch she heard some footsteps crunching behind her.

Gryffindor was heading out onto the field to begin their practice after Hufflepuff. Jasper waved at her, dressed in his practice equipment.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked her.

"Just waiting for someone," she replied.

"On Hufflepuff?" they didn't have many Hufflepuff friends, so his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Yes, me," Quentin came down, a Nimbus 2100 in his hand, the sleek broom glistening as the sun refracted off of the snow.

Jasper's confusion only mounted as he glanced between them. Leslie was also approaching with the other Hufflepuffs.

"Belmont?" Tansy wasn't even on a Quidditch team, so her appearance was a bit strange.

"Let me drop of my broom and we can head out, Tansy," Quentin told her, a mess of players mucking around through the dirty snow, trying to get on or off the field. Only Leslie and Jasper had paused, still trying to discern what was happening.

"I'll catch you later then, Jasper," Tansy gave her friend a short wave, and trailed after Quentin, his free arm (which also was padded with Quidditch gloves) sliding over her shoulders albeit uncomfortably. They walked some distance to the Quidditch shed, locking away the equipment, before Quentin relaxed.

"Was she looking?" he questioned quietly as they started back toward Hogwarts.

"My appearance there certainly was uncalled for, so I believe so," she told him smugly, having enjoyed the stupor Jasper had been in.

 _Why did I like the expression he had so much?_ she wondered silently as they headed back to the castle. The devilish smirk remained on her face even until dinner, hearing the rumor spread among her friends that she was now dating Quentin.

* * *

Word spread faster than wildfire in a dried out forest and soon everyone in their year knew that she and Quentin were 'dating'. Only the two of them were aware of the arrangement and the most that they demonstrated was simple hand holding, arms locked, or Quentin would have his arm around her shoulders.

Meanwhile, preparations were still being made for the upcoming trip into the Forbidden Forest. Tansy hoped the more distance in time from when she released the Horned Serpent, the less likely they would be to cross either shadowy figure in the woods. She had yet to mention it to either of her friends, who were just as bewildered as the rest of the school to learn that the Horned Serpent had escaped her enclosure. The secret was to be kept between she and Hagrid.

"And I have my mom send in the bag that's got the expanding charm on the inside. As far as the Ministry knows, it's in the safekeeping of Mrs Newtly," Nova grinned as she showed the bag, which was a small, round, and leather with vibrant beading sewn into the weathered material.

"And from the checklist, we've got enough dittany... And Nova's taken care of what potions we may need as well. From what I see, we could be operational within a couple of weeks," Tansy tapped her quill into the inkwell and smiled at the completely list in front of her.

"Why not this weekend?" Jasper asked.

"I've got to be at The Three Broomsticks for a birthday party," Tansy told him.

"Who?" none of their immediate friends had an upcoming birthday, but Jasper seemed to catch on after a moment. "Oh."

"You guys are invited too-" she began only to be interrupted.

"So why did you guys start dating again? I don't really recall you talking to Quentin before this," Jasper pointed out.

Tansy shrugged. "Just kinda happened. What about you and Mallory?"

"She's fine. A little bit more boring than I thought…" Jasper muttered glumly.

"Are you going to break up with her?" Nova asked.

"Not sure. She's really nice, but… that's it. She's too nice," Jasper complained.

"Wow too nice? You're harsh," Nova arched a brow at him.

"Well neither of you are very nice and we get along fine."

Nova and Tansy tried to look offended, but it was true. They didn't really mingle outside their friend group and constantly teased and joked. Some people didn't take kindly to their wry remarks and sarcastic attitudes. Nova was the confrontational one, whereas Tansy was the nonchalant double.

"We may not be nice, but if you're going to let her down… Do it kindly, she seems like a sweet girl," Tansy told him.

"Ooh, relationship advice from someone who just started dating," Jasper jested, albeit shrewdly.

"And look who's is going better," she retorted.

"Is it?" He asked narrowly.

"Anyways," Nova butt in to break up the tension. "Two weeks from this weekend?"

"I'm fine with that," Tansy agreed.

"And you, try and get your shit situated. We don't need you being all moody," Nova told Jasper pointedly.

The teen nodded, running his fingers back through his thick hair, exasperated. "Roger."


	20. Year Four: CH 9 - Lady of the Lake

Classes dragged along until their expected date to travel out into the Forbidden Forest. Having to put up with the relationship they had created, Tansy had to go out with the Hufflepuffs from time to time. She knew now why she hadn't dealt with them too much. Their banter was innocent and caring, albeit too mild for her own tastes. She preferred the teasing, jesting, and jokes to this… sublimity. It was barely all she could do to not appear as bored as she truly was.

Tansy decided to leave The Three Broomsticks early in order to get some studying in. Pulling her cloak close, she was about to brave the winter wind alone when she heard some footsteps crunching in the hard packed snow behind her. When she craned her head around to see, expecting it to be Quentin, she instead saw Leslie.

Her copper hair whirled around her fair face in thin wisps, snapping out of her ponytail. "You heading to the library?" she asked.

Tansy gave a nod. "Yeah, would you like to join me? I'm going over the Potions homework that Slughorn assigned."

"I've already done that portion, have you completed the Transfiguration assignment?"

"Just about, but I can finish it up in the library with you," Tansy offered.

Whilst the girls were returning to school, Leslie drew in a shaky breath. Not a breath that indicated she was a little bit tired from the walk, but one bordering on a sigh.

"So you and Quentin are doing well, aren't you?" she inquired.

Tansy gave a stout nod. "Yes…" she drawled. Already she had dealt with an onslaught of people asking her about them and how 'unexpected' it was that they were dating.

"You two get along I see… How far are you two into your relationship? I mean you've been dating 2 months now?"

"How far in?" Tansy's brows furrowed at the question. Wasn't two months the answer for how far?

"Yes… Like have you kissed yet?"

It wasn't the sting of the wind that make her cheeks grow rosy. "Uh…" she stammered for words, wondering what she should say. Was two months too long for a first kiss or too short? It wasn't a real relationship, so she didn't know exactly one should pace that.

"Sorry, too personal of a question," Leslie waved it off, but Tansy could see it written on her face. Leslie yearned for more information and her own cheeks were hot with something… Perhaps jealousy?

This would be a good time then… "I don't know. Quentin is nice, but perhaps too nice for me. If that makes sense?" Tansy began, hoping that Leslie would pick up that maybe their relationship would end soon.

"Oh yeah, definitely," Leslie agreed, but there was a flicker in her eyes, perhaps of disbelief? Did Leslie think she was crazy for saying that someone could be too nice? Last Tansy checked, all of her closest friends gave her sass back or teased her endlessly. She preferred that kind of 'tough love' or humor to listless banter that went nowhere other than in circles. Sometimes, conflict made things more intriguing. And Tansy was not the type to go treading carefully as not to step on anyone's toes. If she offended someone, oh well. If Tansy thought an apology was due, she'd eventually give it, but most often she was too stubborn to do so.

Both she and Leslie made their way to the library and continued their homework cordially. Tansy didn't mind this sort of relationship with the girl, as they were both among the top of their class, and could help each other in subjects one might favor. With a dull ending to her Sunday evening, she returned to the dungeons where the entrance to the Slytherin common room was located.

Classes continued and the work was piling up. The excuses the professors gave them was that they would be taking their O.W.L.S next year and needed to be prepared for it. Tansy was not worried, she had already purchased an entire book that went over what was in the exam and was already feeling confident on the subject as it was. Among her peers, some didn't worry about a task so far in the future whereas others began blubbering about how worried they were about failing.

In Transfiguration they were working on the Switching Spell. Yet another spell that Tansy (seeing that it was useful) had already learned some years before. She sat back in her seat, allowing Professor Cogs to assist the other students that were having issues swapping the two objects in front of them. He gave her glances a few times, but was aware that Tansy was already vastly ahead of her other classmates and would, from time to time, request that she also assist other students when he became too preoccupied.

Professor Cogs by no means was her favorite professor. He was a tall, rotund man with spectacles and thinning hair, his round face often speckled with sweat and sparse facial hair. Her favorite professor had been Otters, but due to some personal issues, she had stayed home and was being covered by the Harry Potter. Professor Potter swiftly took her spot as favorite professor as he saw the potential in her and her friends, giving them additional lessons and explaining (what he was allowed to) about what was going on with Asmodeus.

When Transfiguration came to a close, she was going to scurry off to complete her pile of homework when she heard her name called.

"Belmont?" Professor Cogs was standing by his desk, hands splayed on the old wood as he inspected some parchment.

Upon closer inspection, he appeared to be reviewing homework. "Yes, professor?" Tansy inclined as she stood by the desk.

"I need a favor from you, if you don't mind," Professor Cogs began. "There's a younger student in your house that needs some tutoring. Would you be up to it?"

"Of course," Tansy answered immediately, not wishing to seem shallow or unwilling in front of the teacher.

"Thank you. I'll let her know that you will be assisting in her studies."

"Professor, may I ask whom I am helping?"

"Yes, Miss Kilfeather," he informed her stoutly as the next class began filing him.

Dread filled Tansy and it was too late to take back her words. Drawing out of the classroom, she cursed herself silently for agreeing to help. But how could she have known? Out of all of the students in her house, it just so happened to be the very one she did not get along with (and had also tried to kill her). Her mood didn't brighten, especially when Ramsay approached her later in the evening when she was in the library, her smooth calligraphy scrawling across the parchment as she finished the Potions paper that Slughorn had assigned.

Glancing up at her old friend, she gave him a narrow look, wondering if he had anything to do with the arrangement. Why couldn't he help her with the topic?

"Tansy..." Ramsay drawled as she dunked her quill into the dark navy blue inkwell and started on her next section of homework. "I just wanted to thank you."

"For what?" she muttered sharply.

"Agreeing to tutor Gabby," he stated, treading lightly around her.

"It's fine. But why couldn't you help her?" she finally glanced up at him.

Since their blow up, it wasn't often that she had bothered to look at him. A pang of sadness filled her, suddenly realizing how much she missed her friend. However, she swiftly shook the feeling, brows creasing in a scowl as she looked at his puppy dog eyes and drooping shoulders. There was no reason for her to feel badly, he had done this to himself by trying to make her jealous.

"I'm not doing so hot in Transfiguration right now," he admitted glumly. "Ever since I stopped studying with you guys my grades have been... alright. And most of my time is taken up by Quidditch and Gabby so-"

"It's fine, I understand," Tansy waved him off. "Just tell her that this will be cordially and professional. I'm here to help her."

"You know, she doesn't hate you," Ramsay informed her.

"That's yet to be seen," Tansy scoffed, setting her quill down again.

"She's just envious, that's all. You shouldn't have any issues."

"Good, because if I do I will inform Professor Cogs and drop her for tutoring," Tansy told him stoutly.

"Understandable," he shrugged before giving a long, deep sigh. "Thanks again, Blue." He passed by her and squeezed her shoulder before departing.

Tansy reached over and touched the shoulder that had been squeezed, hand lingering there for a few moments. She shook her head when realizing she was being sentimental and sighed. He'd have to put in a lot more effort to repair what had happened and she had yet to see Gabby's performance during their lessons.

* * *

The day that Tansy dreaded came faster than she anticipated. Wasn't that always how it worked? When you dread something it would sneak up on you? She met Gabrielle in an empty classroom after the day had passed, having been given the current assignments for the 3rd years by Professor Cogs. The Draconifors spell seemed to be one of the many subjects she was stuck on and her marks in other transfiguration tasks such as a teapot to tortoise had also been poor.

Setting the parchment in front of her, she patiently waited for Gabrielle, who was 15 minutes late to the allotted time. Tansy began working on her own assignments when Gabby was 5 minutes late.

The door creaked open and Gabby slid in, a sultry pout poised on her face as she sauntered over to Tansy. The insolent behavior was already enough to put a sour taste in Tansy's mouth, but the elder girl stayed her temper for now.

"From what Professor Cogs had explained to me, you have a test coming up with the Draconifors Spell and you will need to pass this, along with the rest of the exams in order to pass for the year," Tansy began smoothly, opening the borrowed 3rd year book and bringing it to a page that displayed a dragon. "As you're likely aware, this spell is used to turn objects into a dragon. A small one, but it is still a fairly complex spell-"

Tansy droned on, going over the important sections of spell and what the caster would need to focus on while trying to accomplish it. Gabrielle did not interrupt or speak, simply nodding as she took in the information and watched as Tansy demonstrated a few times, giving the improper way and then proper. When the hour had drawn to a close, Tansy began collecting her belongings, neatly piling them in her typical, meticulous manner.

Gabrielle had yet to leave and instead was waiting at the edge of the desk, gazing down at her with arms crossed. "So you have a boyfriend," she said plainly, as if announcing it to the empty classroom.

"Have had one for a while now," she acknowledged, placing her folder into her satchel bag before turning her brilliant blue eyes up toward Gabby.

But Gabby seemed abated with just those words and turned away, heading out of the classroom without another peep.

Tansy went to find her friends so that she could make up for the time lost over tutoring. She didn't find them where she expected, a hallway with a few stone benches, muttering between each other in hushed whispers.

"If Filch finds you like that, he'll think you're up to no good," she told Jasper and Nova, placing a hand on her hip.

"That's because they were! Naughty naughty!" Peeves' face appeared in the stone wall above them, a nasty grin unfolding on his face. "I think I should tell Filch. He'd love to know about the naughty students."

But no one took his threat seriously, if there was one person that Peeves hated more than anyone, it was Filch. The poltergeist loved causing problems for the squib at any turn which would allow it.

"Don't worry about it," Nova said dismissively.

"How did your tutoring session go?" Jasper asked.

"Not bad, a lot better than I thought it would. What about you?"

"What?" Jasper blinked apprehensively.

"I heard you've already replaced Mallory. Just wondering how the next one is doing," Tansy remarked.

"What's it to you?"

"You keep going through girls how you are and you'll earn yourself a name," Tansy pointed out, Nova catching her drift.

"The Gryffindor heart throb. The Heartbreaker. The Bad Boy," Nova began rapid firing titles, giving her tone a sort of sickly sweetness that did not suit her as she bat her dark lashes as Jasper.

"Hm, I don't know if those are too bad. I kinda like them," Jasper smirked, much to the chagrin of the girls. "Anyways, I have Quidditch practice. You know where to find me." Standing up, he winked at his companions and Nova pretended to faint before regaining her composure.

"Who's his next victim?" Tansy asked, taking the seat that Jasper had been in.

"Some upperclassman. She's got-" Nova gestured to her chest, pretending to move large breasts that she did not have. "I've noticed he picks em like that. That girl Mallory, did you ever see her out of her robes?"

Tansy gave Nova an insolent look. "No."

"I meant in casuals!" Nova hissed, shaking her head. "Anyways, she had a nice butt."

"I don't know how butts can be nice, but sure."

Nova arched a brow at her. "One day you will know. One day."

* * *

Finally, the chosen weekend approached. All three of them were up before dawn, the girls triple checking the list they had created. One thing could not be amiss, they needed to be back at school before nightfall and the only way to achieve that was by leaving as early as they had. They found Jasper waiting by Hagrid's Hut. The giant of a man had yet to stir and they were able to slip toward the Forbidden Forest without garnering any notice.

Between the three of them, their eyes reflected nervousness and also excitement. This would be among the first time that the trio had been able to shapeshift together again.

"So the plan is to head into the forest. I expect on our feet it shall take up a couple of hours to break the boundary... here," Tansy had created her own map, pieced together from what she had seen in various geography books. The Forbidden Forest extended past the Hogwarts Grounds and opened up into the Scottish wilderness. Toward the mountains, there were reports of various bogs and swamplands that would have been still frosted over. With spring approaching, it was difficult to say if that far out would be vastly different from the woods nearest to Hogwarts.

A small glance was exchanged between all of them, their months of preparation finally coming to a head.

Tansy drew a shaky breath and each of them shifted into their animagi forms. Three pairs of paws hit the ground and Tansy glanced between them. Her maw opened and she tasted the air, her eyes picking apart the scenery as if she could see the scents. The forest was filled with the earthy tones of the dirt beneath their pads, the fallen pine needles, and the clean mountain air which was slightly damp with a thin mist.

Her eyes slid over to her companions; a brilliantly ivory wolverine and a large feline whose belly brushed the ungrowth as he prowled forward, thick tail swishing behind him.

Tansy's ears flickered back and she took the lead, loping deeper into the forest. Her pace gradually accelerated, her head turning back to make certain that they were able to keep up. Once she was satisfied, their paws moved as if riding on the wind. The forest blurred around them and her ears were filled with the steady thrumming of her heart, tongue lolling, and the heavy hits of their paws smacking against the dirt and fallen needles.

They ran for a while, only taking a break when she noticed that Nova was beginning to lag behind. She was swift, but not as large as Tansy and Jasper. For every step Tansy took, Jasper had to take two, and Nova had to take three. The deeper they prowled, the less light seemed to fall upon them, despite being early morning.

The treeline broke, becoming more sparse once they hit the two hour marker. The ground was no longer dirt, but a soft peaty moss that was filled with cold dew. Trees flanked the entrance to the bog, but these were not pine trees. The barren trees were covered in lichen and hanging moss, slumped over like primordial monoliths that were forlorn and forgotten.

Tansy paused, her thick tail brushing behind her as her ears flickered back and forth, listening to the unsettling silence around them. The air reeked of sweet decay.

A soft gurgling drew her attention and she espied the kelpie lift its massive head and look at them through orb-like eyes. This was the place. The pools around them were quiet, hiding whatever monstrosities lurked in their inky depths.

Tansy reverted to her human form and drew her wand. A deep sense of foreboding had seized her and her companions felt just the same, one eying the kelpie warily.

"Where now? I want to get out of here as soon as possible," Nova muttered.

Tansy drew forward, stepping between the pools, her boots sinking into the moss, becoming slick and damp with water. She trailed down the path, between some of the ancient trees to where the lake was supposed to be.

"Did you hear that?" Jasper hissed, whirling his head round to look for something.

"Hear what?" Nova grumbled.

"Shh!" he spat and they paused, listening for the noise against.

 _Shhhhhhhhhsst_!

Three heads craned round to glance at the trees behind them, no longer bowed over like an elderly person, but seeming to reach for them with gnarled fingers. A figure was dragging a limp leg behind it, but with incredible speed.

Tansy didn't know who or what it was, but it wasn't human. Nothing here was.

" _Confringo_!" she pushed her friends aside and whipped her wand, a fiery orange light exploding from the end. The air sizzled and fire exploded at the figure, blasting them away and back. "Don't stay here! Let's go!" she grabbed them and began pushing out of the enclave of trees toward the opening.

Tansy had been hoping to see the crystal clear lake span in front of them, but what she saw was covered in a layer of silt, muck, and slime. The water barely moved and was disgustingly swampy. The stench was particularly foul here.

"This is the lake?!" Nova spat, reaching up to cover her nose and mouth with a hand.

"You're going into this?" Jasper gave Tansy a wild look, his eyes pleading. He didn't want her to do it, but they had come so far. Her dream had been right up until this point.

"I have to," Tansy protested weakly.

"Guys we don't have time to contemplate this," Nova drew their attention as a chill swept beneath them. A thick fog rolled down from the trees and toward them and a deep sense of dread filled each of their hearts.

"No," Tansy breathed, recognizing the feeling from a dream years ago.

When she rounded to glance at the mouth of the trees, she saw the cloaked figures, three in total. Their inky cloaks rippled around them and dried, dead hands wielded blades that appeared to be made out of bright, white wind. More shapes lumbered behind them, pale skin nearly as white as snow, molted with veins of puke green. Glazed over eyes stared blankly ahead, the undead beings were missing various body parts and when a wraith raised a clawed hand, they lumbered forward.

"Go Tansy! Go get the sword!" Jasper roared as Nova hurled a ball of fire, which engulfed one of the figures.

"But-"

"We can handle this, you taught us the spells. And a Patronus will work on wraiths just as well," Nova quipped, another whip of flames exploding from her wand.

Tansy didn't want to leave them behind, her every fiber screamed against it. Wraiths could not be killed. But they knew the proper spells and the Holy Shield spell would protect them until she returned.

Casting a Bubble Head Charm on herself and placing on the goggles she'd packed, she plunged into the viscous water, immediately stirring lights in the depths. However, these were not the harmless lights that followed her movement. Tansy was horrified to see ghostly faces staring at her, following her as she traveled through the water.

Ghosts that she knew were silvery spectres with defined features, but these were greenish-blue and their faces were molted, pained, and stretched in screams or wailing. She did not see the coiling serpent in the water, in fact it was all she could do to see in front of her with her wand. She felt them tugging at her hair and her robes, but their ethereal fingers could not make purchase. Instead, she felt chills across her body as she delved deeper, trying to find Nimue and the sword.

Within the abyss, she thought she saw a solid figure. Nimue did not glow as she had in her dream and appeared dead. Her skin was swollen, puffy, and her face was blob-like. Her hair was thin, her skin slick, and in a state of decay. Tansy, compelled for some strange reason, reached out to touch Nimue as she lay toward the bottom of the lake.

Instantly she regretted her decision. Nimue was slimy and she couldn't draw away. Her lids snapped open, but there were no eyeballs, just dark black pits where they should have been. Her jaw unhinged and she screamed.

" _How dare you! How dare you come to my domain!"_ she screamed, crystal clear in the water.

 _This was a trap. This was a mistake_ , Tansy realized as she tried to point her wand at Nimue. The blobbish woman snapped her hand through the water with impeccable speed and knocked Tansy's wand from her grasp. The dark wood began sinking, down, down, down it went until it vanished into the darkness. Now, Tansy could barely see the outline of Nimue's face as she grappled her. Her wand had been her only source of light.

 _This is it, to die at the hands of some undead sorceress. I just hope they can get away. Don't wait for me,_ Tansy thought hopelessly, Nimue thrusting her down further toward the basin.

It was then that Tansy could see a light, at first she believed it to be her wand.

 _Smash_!

They collided hard with a slick boulder beneath the water's surface. Gasping, she wondered how much longer the bubble charm would work without her wand and gaze hopelessly at the light in the distance. Now that the silt had been disturbed by their arrival on the bottom of the lake, she could see the glint of a silver hilt.

 _No, it can't be_ , she thought just as Nimue smashed her again against the bottom.

Tansy rounded, grabbing a hold of Nimue before the woman could daze her again. She couldn't push her away, but that wasn't her intention. Instead, they rolled along the bottom, toward the light.

Tansy's free hand scabbled for it, her fingertips brushing the metal. Nimue, seeming to realize what was beside them, tried to stop Tansy, but upon relenting, Tansy's fingers completely slid around the hilt of the sword.

Before her very eyes, the sword shifted, becoming a wand. " _Expulso_!"

Nimue was blasted away in a bright blue light and Tansy was freed. She gasped, her shoulders and chest aching from the pummeling, pointing the wand down at the ground before propelling herself to the surface with a spell.

As she rocketed for the surface, the water around her began shifting. The spirits that had followed her until a certain point became silvery and leapt out of the water, finally freed of their bindings. The inky depths became clearer and the green slime and silt evaporated. When Tansy made it to the surface she saw that the algae and sickly hue had been replaced with a shimmering lapis lazu blue and lily pads blanketed the surface.

Jasper and Nova were still fighting, having erected a Holy Shield to keep the wraiths at bay, but they were becoming exhausted and drained. It was now only Jasper maintaining the shield, having fallen to one knee over Nova.

Do it. Use the spell. It will work, a voice told her, but not her own. The voice was deep, wise, and powerful.

" _Perago_!" she aimed her wand at one of the wraiths, a golden light emitting from the wand as it lanced into the wraith. The creature let out a high, shrill scream before the gold webbed into its very being. Similar to ice cracking, the golden veins consumed the wraith and it exploded, crumbling to the ground beneath it, blown away by the wind.

Tansy aimed the spell and purged the other wraiths and the wights that had been pounding against the fractured shield. Jasper released the spell and Tansy fell beside them, making certain neither had been wounded by the fatal daggers the wraiths wielded.

"Where's the sword?" Jasper as hoarsely.

"This is the sword-" she showed him the pale, sleek wand. The defining features of the wand were the silver and gold trappings in the shape of endless knots toward the handle of the wand.

She very nearly dropped the wand, when in the reflection of the lake, she saw the full length sword in her hand and not the sleek wand.

"All this for a wand?" Jasper managed, clearly exhausted.

"Not just any wand," a female voice said from behind them, causing Tansy to leap to her feet and point it at her. The woman was dressed in a silvery blue gown that rippled like waves as if moved by an invisible wind. She stood on the top of the water, bare feet sticking out, her dark hair dry and a silver circlet on her brow. "In the hands of a wizard, it takes the form of a wand. That is Excalibur."

Jasper's eyes returned to the wand and he marveled at it silently. "But what does it do?"

"Just as it did for King Arthur, it guides the one it has chosen. It is a holy relic and has divine powers that other wands are not capable of accomplishing. As you saw, it was able to destroy the wraiths. Do you know of any spell or way to destroy a wraith?" Nimue fixated her watery eyes on Jasper as if she expected an answer.

"The lake... How are you normal again?" Tansy asked her, the woman polar in appearance to the bloated monster that had been lurking within the depths.

"All of this was protected," Nimue motioned to the lake and glade, now verdant with grass and wildflowers. With the time of year, none of such should have been possible. "Morgan Le Fay cursed this lake and all of inhabitants to protect it. Many muggles look for Excalibur still and it would have been a travesty had it fallen into their hands and put up in a museum. I dare say just as many wizards would have tried to get their hands on it too. So we waited, for centuries at a time, for someone worthy to return."

"Then this lake is..." Tansy recalled the Arthurian history books she had read.

"Yes, this is the portal to Avalon, where Arthur lives yet, waiting for the day in which he shall return to reign again. The spirits you saw were those trapped between this realm and Avalon. Due to the curse, the fae had not been able to travel to Avalon," Nimue explained.

"And the lake has always been this close to Hogwarts? And no one else has stumbled upon it?" Jasper could barely fathom what was going on around them.

Nimue chuckled lightly. "Oh no, it hasn't always been that close. This lake appears where it is intended and never is stumbled upon."

Jasper cocked his head, as if he were only more confused by her answer.

"Excalibur's talents will be needed in the upcoming years. A great darkness is coming," a shadow fell across Nimue's face as she glanced up at a clear blue sky. Her eyes swept back down and she smiled kindly at them. "Regain your strength and return through the path whence you came."

Tansy and Jasper carried Nova over to a more comfortable spot, among thick verdant grass in the glade, beneath an ancient maple with crimson leaves. Fairies flitted around them, paying little heed to the wizards among their midst. Tansy reached into the bag Nova had brought and summoned a bit of food and water.

When Nova came to, she glanced around wildly, astounded by the changes around her. "What the-"

"Just eat some food, we'll need to get going soon. I don't know what time it is," Tansy told her, offering her the supplies before launching into an explanation of what had happened.

Between mouthfuls, Nova spoke, "So you'd have me believe that this place was cursed and we lifted it? And it's going to vanish once we leave?" She gave an indignit snort and nearly choked on her food in the process. "What do you suppose we should do when we arrive back at Hogwarts?"

"Nothing! We can't tell anyone of what we did," Jasper told her, brows pulling together disapprovingly. "Let alone that she has Excalibur. People will want it and they won't be able to take it. I can imagine the uproar."

"Can't take it? How does that work anyways? Can I see it here?" Nova took the wand from Tansy's hand and it vanished, reappearing in her friend's grip. Confused, the girl tried again and again, but the wand consistently returned to Tansy. "Huh, it's true then."

"You should have saw it. Tansy destroyed the wraiths with that wand. Excalibur is no joke," Jasper beamed, glancing at the wand with admiration. "I dare say it's even stronger than the Elder Wand."

"No... I think it's just useful in certain situations. It's intended for purifying dark things and accomplishing feats of light," Tansy corrected, staring adoringly at the wand.

For years she had been terrified that she would succumb to the darkness. Her very own wand was inclined toward such and while it had been a swift and cunning wand, she worried of the future that it suggested for her. But with Excalibur in her possession, the worries she once had vanished like smoke in the wind. In her grasp, she could feel its purity and the justice it wanted to bring. This was the judicator, the hammer of justice, the very weapon that could be used against Asmodeus. Only... she wondered if it would vanish once she had accomplished her mission.

The prospect saddened her, but for the time being, she had the magnificent, slender wand in her grasp. It had chosen her, turning away all of the doubts about herself. She was a good person who would do good things or else Excalibur would have never come into her possession.

"Yes, we can't brag about it. It'd be better if the professors weren't aware either," she added hastily. Though the differences between her wand and this one were substantial. The colors were polar and this wand was longer and streamline. When she used it in class, professors would definitely notice it was not the same wand that she had been using just last week.

"You broke your other wand and your uncle made you one. Easy as that," Jasper shrugged. "We should probably get going though, time doesn't seem to flow right here."

Tansy nodded and stood, helping Nova to her feet before she tossed a glance back at the lake. The glade was absolutely stunning and the crystal clear lake rippled, tiny blue lights illuminating the surface. The gate to Avalon. So many people wanted to go there and yet... Tansy knew that her fate was to stay here and accomplish the job Excalibur had partnered with her for. But it was so close, just within the reach of her fingertips.

The tunnel of trees was no longer menacing, but the trees had straightened up and the boughs didn't reach to grab them. Their branches were filled with leaves of various hues, green, red, and gold. Through the path, the light faded and the trees went from keen and happy to barren. The warmth of the glade faded to be replaced with the chill of Scotland's early springtime.

And then they were back at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. When they turned to look behind them, the path of trees were gone and they stood there awkwardly in the brisk early morning air.

"It's still morning?" Nova said astounded, glancing up at the grey light filtering down from the overcast sky.

"Or the next day," Jasper speculated, making both girls incredibly nervous.

"Let's hurry back then. I can only imagine the hell we'll be in if professors find out that we were gone an entire night," Tansy said.


	21. Year Four: CH 10 - Blood Moon

The trio discovered that they had barely been gone a handful hours. They had been deposited even closer to Hogwarts that they anticipated and were able to slide right back in as if nothing had ever happened. Each of them, still in sheer disbelief of what they had witnessed and fought, kept marveling the wand, Excalibur.

"I wonder how it will fare as a duelling wand," Nova speculated.

"Just from how it handled the wraiths? I think exceptionally. And the issues you had with healing spells will probably no longer be the case too, right?" Jasper gave a soft, laughing sigh, shaking his head. "Man, I do wish that we could tell more people."

Tansy experimented with her new wand over the weekend. Unlike her old wand, it was exceptional at lighter spells and healing. The only trade off was that the wallop she had from hexes, jinxes, and curses no longer existed. Her old wand had been exceptionally powerful when it came to darker magic and while Excalibur could cast them, they were of a moderate strength. The wand had also not spoken to her like it had in the glade, remaining silent.

There was no doubt that Nova and Jasper were itching to proclaim about the amazing trip they had, but due to the intricate circumstances around it, they had to keep quiet. Her companions muttered about the trip all Sunday at each moment alone they had, unable to really come to terms with the fact that they had been so close to Avalon. What people would do to be there… the prices they would be willing to pay.

When classes resumed after the weekend, rumors fluttered about as swiftly as dragonflies. One of which had to deal with Tansy.

"Did you hear? Quentin is cheating on Tansy," she overheard a girl in Charms murmur to her friend. When Tansy glanced over at them, they looked away quickly and pretended as if they hadn't been talking about her.

 _I wonder if he finally got together with Leslie_ , she thought pleasantly, not at all bothered by this supposed cheating. Perhaps she should have appeared more ruffled, because the rumor spread like wildfire and people began asking her about it.

"What are you going to do?" a girl from Ravenclaw by the name of Hannah asked her after classes had ended.

"I'll probably just break up with him," she shrugged nonchalantly.

"You guys have been going out for a while. Aren't you upset?" another girl asked.

It would seem that other girls flocked to drama and people who never spoke to her were now trying to get more juicy information. If they wanted a reaction, they wouldn't get one from her.

"Eh, I mean it's fine. I've had a feeling for a while now," she told the other girl.

Jasper nosed his way through the girls, the elder Gryffindor (his new girlfriend) flanking him. Tansy couldn't help but have her eyes flit to the girl's enormous chest and then glanced over at her friend, a bit jealous that she was lacking in the chest department.

"Where's Quentin? I'll give him a piece of my mind-" Jasper began, his cheeks flushed.

"Don't worry about it. I'll handle it, no need to take arms up for me," Tansy insisted, placing her hand on his arm, patting lightly. She caught his eye, giving him a knowing look, and the teen seemed to calm down.

"Alright... Bloody hell I'd hate to be on the receiving end with you," Jasper shook the rage from his face and then smiled over at the girl who was with him. "This is my girlfriend Talia."

"Nice to meet you," Tansy said, offering a hand to the girl.

Talia gave Tansy's hand a scathing look over, hesitating, as if she were higher than a Slytherin. Eventually, she took Tansy's hand and gave it a pitiful, limp hand shake, before taking her hand back.

Jasper had witnessed the entire ordeal and tried not to show his dismay.

"Likewise..." Talia drawled finally.

Tansy was going to try and put more effort in with the girl until she had proven her disdain. Turning her attention back to Jasper, she turned her shoulders slightly so that she was no longer facing and including Talia. "Like I said, don't worry about it. I can handle it myself."

"If you say so," Jasper conceded. "We were just planning to go out to the courtyard, heard it was a nice day out."

"Finally spring?" Tansy smirked.

A few people flew past them, running down the hall. A nice day didn't usually cause people to break the simple rule of running. If Filch caught them running...

What was happening only became more apparent when they got to the main doors to the courtyard, which was filled with a crowd, gathering for some sort of fight going on. Sliding around the bulk of the crowd, Tansy's jaw dropped when she saw Ramsay standing over Quentin triumphantly.

Eyes were looking to her, murmurs spreading across the crowd like dandelion seeds in the wind. She stumbled forward, trying to gather what was going on. Ramsay hadn't noticed she had arrived and grabbed a hold of Quentin. Some sort of duel had happened and Ramsay had caused Quentin to nearly faint.

"What are you doing?!" Tansy demanded finally, going up to make certain that no permanent damage had been done to Quentin.

It appeared as if the Knockback Jinx might have hit him pretty hard.

"Quentin? Quentin can you hear me?" Tansy tried to rouse the boy from his state. He blinked his eyes open and gave her a weak smile.

"Wassup?"

"Why are you helping him? He cheated on you Tansy! The whole school knows," Ramsay snarled.

"And when did I ask you to fight him for me?" Tansy could feel her rage bubbling up, but she turned away trying to get Quentin into a more working order. They might not have been dating, but she did feel bad that it had all resulted in this.

"He did it so nonchalantly! Is your pride not wounded from that? I've seen you get cross for less-"

"What's going on here?" it was a teacher's voice and coming through the wave of students, was Professor Cogs. His round face frowned as he saw Quentin still recovering and Ramsay looming over them. Students had still not dispersed yet, watching to see what would happen. "A fight? I expected better of your Miss Belmont," he sniffed before glaring at the two boys. "Detention for all of you. Tonight at 8pm in my classroom."

Tansy didn't argue, but shot a nasty leer over at Ramsay. She hadn't even done anything! While the students were leaving, a few Hufflepuffs came over to help Quentin out. Leslie was particularly close to him, giving Tansy a nervous glance.

"Don't worry about me, Leslie. Let Quentin know when he's conscious enough that we're over," Tansy told her as they sat him down on a nearby bench.

Grabbing hold of Ramsay, she dragged him away from the scene of the crime and gave him the nastiest of looks. Again, he adopted the kicked puppy look and his shoulders were slumped as she led him away from the courtyard and toward a clear area. As Jasper had said, it was a nice mild day with a gentle breeze.

Releasing a pent up sigh, she placed her hands on her hips and glanced up at Ramsay.

"Want to explain why you're trying to be my white knight?" she snipped.

"I was just sticking up for you... He was nearly parading the fact that he had snogged Leslie and-"

"We weren't even really dating!" Tansy hissed, finally dropping the charade. She pinched the skin between her brows and drew a shaky breath. "Look, I agreed to 'date' Quentin to make Leslie jealous. We weren't really dating and now you've gone and beat my fake boyfriend up."

"You weren't dating? But you spent so much time with him and, and..." Ramsay dropped off and his cheeks flushed wildly. "I beat him up for cheating on you, but it was all going according to your plan, wasn't it?"

Tansy nodded mutely.

"What is with me?" Ramsay plopped down on the grassy hill and planted his face in his hands.

She contemplated leaving him to his own thoughts, to face his own inner demons, but in spite of herself she took a seat next to him. "What's bothering you?" she asked finally, pulling her own knees up to her chest. One thing she knew was how to read Ramsay. All their years together and he could be quite emotional and let his rage take control of him.

"Lots of things," he hissed frustratedly. "From losing you guys to seeing you having no problem replacing me... And then on top of that I've got to deal with everything with Gabby. I want to help her, but I don't feel anything for her. It's like having a leech attached to me and she sucks all my energy away. All the time I used to spend studying... Now I'm falling behind and I don't want to just get rid of her."

"Maybe you should explain that you just want to be friends then," Tansy suggested.

Ramsay gave a cold laugh and shook his head. "You think I haven't ran that scenario in my head over and over? It'll blow right up in my face, I know it will. And then I'll have even more problems."

"What is so important in her life that you need to sacrifice your own happiness? At this point you've lost your best friends and now she wants you to lose sense of yourself? Decide your own fate Ramsay. You have a gentle heart, but at this point... You're hurting yourself and I don't know how much longer you'd be of use to her in this state."

"I just..." he wrung his hands, unable to put his problems into words. "I just miss being around you and Nova. I miss you."

When he looked over at her, she felt her stomach twist in a strange and uncomfortable way. "Well..." she started, trying to shake away the discomfort. "You could start by trying to explain your stance to Gabby. That you don't have feelings for her-"

"It's because I still have feelings for you," Ramsay interrupted.

The churning in her stomach returned and she felt her cheeks burning. "Ramsay I-"

But he silenced her by pulling her close and pressing his lips against hers. Tansy was so taken aback that she didn't move at first and then she realized what was happening, she floundered in his grasp. It was like a bear holding onto a fox, she was so much smaller than he was. Eventually, she managed to shove him away, breathing heavily as she felt her eyes well up with tears.

" _Ramsay_!" she exclaimed, unable to formulate any other words before she got to her feet and sped away from him.

 _Why did he do that? We were repairing our friendship and he had to go and do that,_ she thought, distressed as she streaked away from people and to a quiet place near the lake. Her first kiss and it had been stolen by an old friend. Why did he think that she'd just accept him afterward? Why did he not comprehend that she didn't share these romantic feelings?

Finding her rock on the outskirts of the lake, she wiped her tears away and sniffled, resenting herself for showing weakness. Of all people, why couldn't it have been Jasper who kissed her? She wouldn't have pushed him away if it had been Jasper. But Jasper kept getting girlfriend after girlfriend and each of them had assets that Tansy did not possess. She was streamline, thin and athletic rather than soft, womanly, and mature looking.

Tansy must have sat by the lake for a couple of hours, because the sun was beginning to set. Orange and pink light cast across the lake and she basked in it, still running over the various scenarios in her head.

"Was wondering where you got to," Jasper said, coming up behind her to take a seat. Somehow, he always knew where to find her, though it was often the same place. "You look a mess," he commented.

Tansy wiped at her face, giving him a narrow glance. "I'm fine."

"You don't seem it... You're not really that upset over Quentin are you?"

Tansy managed a slight laugh and shook her head. "No, we weren't even really dating. We were pretending to make Leslie jealous."

"So that fight then..."

"Yeah Ramsay went after him for no good reason. I explained that to him but-"

"He didn't upset you, did he?"

"Don't worry about it, I don't think he intended for me to get upset."

"What did he do?" Jaspers eyes were bright.

"I... I don't want to talk about it."

Jasper glowered at her for a moment before shrugging his shoulders and leaning back, relaxing on his arms as he gazed out at the sunset. "Well, I wanted to tell you something too."

Tansy glanced over at him, her heart thrusting up into her throat hopefully. "Yes?"

"I'm not going to be at my parents' house this summer."

Her heart fell from her throat and smashed into a million tiny fragments. "What do you mean?"

"You know how I can't stand to be around them... I've been talking to my uncle and I'm going to stay with him from now on. He's a bit estranged from the family, but he's a cool guy. About the only person I get along with in my family," Jasper explained.

But it didn't really matter. Tansy had been excited to finally have someone nearby that she could hang out with, but now that her hopes had been dashed... She couldn't show him. Why should he stay with his parents at the cost of his happiness? Tansy could deal with another summer and just owls sent between them.

"Oh... I understand. Your parents aren't the most pleasant people," she forced a smile.

"I'll try and visit, my uncle only lives a few towns over. Maybe you can come by too, he does a lot of tinkering. So I'm excited to see what we can create over the summer."

"I'm glad that you have some family you can hang out with then. I'll probably get more work done without you around anyways," she quipped.

"Oh come on. you were so excited to spend the summer with me," he teased, leaning slightly on her shoulder to push her.

"Not anymore," she retorted standing up abruptly so that he fell over on the rock. She snickered at him. "Let's go to dinner. I've got detention tonight and I need to get some work done first."

Jasper stood up grinning and accompanied Tansy back to the school. Despite it all, she enjoyed the moments they had to themselves, even if he had a girlfriend.

* * *

Tansy had not been looking forward to seeing Ramsay again, in fact she ignored him at dinner and barely looked at him as they went to serve their detention with Professor Cogs. They settled into the dusty classroom and Cogs gave them a pile of assignments to help him grade. The papers belonged to first years about turning a toothpick into a needle.

They each sat at their own desks and began whittling down the pile. However, part way through, Cogs realized that they were beginning to run out of red ink.

"Miss Belmont can you come with me? We need to fetch more supplies," Cogs requested.

Tansy nodded and set her quill down, following Professor Cogs out into the hallway. The supply closet down the hall and to the right.

"I believe there is more crimson ink in the very back of the closet. I'll be right back," Professor Cogs told her.

Tansy used her wand to illuminate the pitch black closet and began searching for the ink at the very back of the long, walk in closet. She was at a loss, there appeared to be cleaning supplies, not writing utensils.

"Professor?" she called out, only remembering that he had stated that he was stepping away when she asked for him. Tansy continued to search, but to no avail. This had to be the wrong closet. Turning around, there was a silhouette masked by the light outside the closet. "Professor? I can't find any ink wells in here."

" _Stupefy_!" a voice hissed, throwing Tansy back against a shelf, rendering her unconscious.

* * *

Tansy woke up to being jostled. She was in some sort of bag, being dragged. Her head pounded and she felt lethargic, but as she began writhing, the motion stopped.

"Dammit!" a familiar voice hissed, readjusting the bag she was being dragged in. "I don't know why I can't apparate, this would be so much easier..."

"Hey!" Tansy shrieked loudly, beginning to flail in the bag. "Where am I? Who is that?"

"Scream all you want, no one will hear you now," was that... Professor Cogs?

Tansy became silent, wondering how he had gotten her out of the school without anyone noticing. She supposed it had to do with this bag, it was burlap, similar to those used to handle some of the magical creatures. "Very well, I will!" she shrieked and began screaming as loud as she could. She couldn't see outside of the sack and knew that if it was one of the care of magical creature bags, she had no hope of burning through it. They were created to be resistant to fire, frost, and water.

 _You can cut your way,_ a deep, wise voice told her.

 _Right, I can never be separated from Excalibur,_ she thought, reaching into her pocket. The wand was waiting for her, almost humming silently in her hand. She pressed the wand against the burlap and like a knife through cheese, the wand bit through the material. Tansy cut enough of it away to see that they had headed around the back of the school and toward the rear of the magical creatures barn. Hagrid's house was within shouting distance if she really screamed loud enough.

Opening her mouth, she let out a high, shrill wail and it echoed through the air, reverberating through the night. Maybe she could fit her hand through the hole and point her wand up at Cogs. Then she could cast a spell and attack him. But she was still puzzled as to what was going on.

 _Could he be the desperate voice I heard in the forest that night?_ She wondered silently, Cogs making a noise as her scream echoed through the air.

"What's going on here?" someone came out in front of them, Tansy couldn't see well enough, but she thought she recognized Clarke's voice. "I heard someone screaming."

"Nothing to see. I've just got a nasty boggart in this bag-"

"No! Professor, it's me! Please!" Tansy cried, taking her wand and trying to cut another section of the burlap away.

"Don't do this Clarke, you will regret it," Cogs threatened, loosening his grip on the bag as he reached for his wand.

"Why do you have a student? It's been you hasn't it? Where is little Anna?!" through the hole in the bag, Tansy could see that Clarke had drawn his own wand.

"Always so caring about your female students," Cogs sneered. "You know how many reported you, thinking that you were the one who was going to molest or abduct them. But I see that handsome face of yours has saved you countless times and it's the reason you're still here."

"I care for the female students, but I've never touched any of them," Clarke told him through clenched teeth. "There's a difference between harmless flirting that goes nowhere with the older girls than actually kidnapping them! I have a wife!"

"Soon to be a widow. I can't have anyone knowing what I've done, I need to maintain my post here at Hogwarts," Cogs snarled.

"Not while I'm still breathing."

"Very well, that can be arranged," Tansy's bag thumped to the ground and she was able to begin working at it. While her wand was capable of cutting through it, the pace at which is did was grueling and she could hear the duelling ongoing just outside.

Clarke was trying to stun Cogs, but on the other hand Cogs was aiming to kill. She could hear spells being deflected by the shield charm, but as they were rapidly fired she heard less of Clarke's voice and more of Cogs. She worked fastidiously to try and free herself and just as she did, she saw Clarke take the full brunt of Secumsempra. Blood blotted through his robes and he fell to a knee, exhausted and sorely injured.

 _No!_ Tansy thought, her mind working faster than her mouth. Instead of a spell, heavy paws hit the earth and she thundered forward, launching herself directly at Cogs, who had been approaching Clarke to finish the job. She moved like lightning, her powerful haunches bunching and sending her sailing into the unsuspecting Cogs. Her massive maw clamped around his forearm that wielded his wand. He let out a cry of pain and terror as she bowled him to the ground, shaking her head back and forth.

Metallic, coppery warmth blossomed against her tongue and she pinned Cogs down, her hind claws digging into his thighs. He screamed in both agony and fear, eyes wide and white as she savaged him. It took a moment for her rage to flee and she released him, leaving him with a severely torn arm and gashes in both of his thighs. Cogs scrambled on the ground and grabbed his wand, but instead of turning to fight his form shifted and then zipped away as he apparated.

Tansy's lips had been peeled back, blood spattered all over her teeth and chest. Once she was certain he was gone, she turned over to Clarke who was leaning over, his own life's blood pooling out of him.

Becoming human once again she took her wand, mind racking for the correct spell. She had never spent much time focusing on healing spells, seeing that she hadn't been able to cast them with her last wand. In the back of her head, she could hear the deep voice, muttering a songlike incantation to her.

" _Vulnera Sanentur,_ " before her very eyes the blood drew away from his clothing and the wounds seemed to knit themself back together. Clarke slumped over and Tansy caught him, careful to support his weight. Guilt filled her, having believed that it was Clarke who had been touching girls and possibly abducting them.

 _I didn't even know he was married. He doesn't wear a ring,_ she thought, wondering where she should go to get help. He had lost a lot of blood and she couldn't just leave him here.

Eventually, she decided on dragging him while in her dire wolf form. She used the remnants of the burlap sack to create a girdy and took the edge of it in her mouth, walking backwards and toward Hagrid's hut. Once she reached his house, she beat upon the doors with her fists until Hagrid answered the door, bleary eyed and confused as to what she was doing out of bed.

"Merlin's beard Tansy, you're covered in blood!" he exclaimed.

"Professor Clarke has been badly injured. Please help me get him in," Tansy said quickly, the words tumbling out of her mouth before she could stop herself. She was worried that Cogs would return, but she had severely wounded him.

Hagrid took one look over at the unconscious man and hefted him up, laying him down on his massive bed before looking over at Tansy. "What happened?"

"I-I-" she stammered trying to think of a way to describe what had happened.

"Cogs was a traitor. He was trying to take Belmont somewhere. The same place he took little Anna I suppose," Clarke had stirred and became conscious enough to speak. "If not for her, I might be dead. I think he's working for the Cult."

Hagrid's lips pursed tightly beneath his thick wiry beard. "We'll be needing McGonagall then. She needs to hear of this right away… But that doesn't explain the blood. It looks like you're a vampire who has been feeding and made a mess."

"Tansy an animagi. She attacked Cogs in her animal form, that is his blood all over her," Clarke elaborate wearily.

"I'll wipe it off before we go up. Please don't tell anyone. I'm not registered. I don't want to go to Azkaban," Tansy blurted out, glancing between them with worry.

"That's a subject for another time. Clarke, would you mind if I carried you?" Hagrid asked.

"No, I think I'd prefer it," Clarke remarked, his auburn hair plastered to his face which was pale and clammy.

Hagrid picked up Clarke like a bride and they started up toward the castle. Tansy kept her wand out, afraid that Cogs would be coming back at any moment or the figure he had met in the forest. But they made it within the halls safely and no one stirred, all having returned to their common rooms. Professor McGonagall was not in her office, but instead in the classroom that Quentin and Ramsay had been serving their detention. Both boys had been dismissed and McGonagall was in the room with Mr Filch.

"What is going on? Professor Clarke, Miss Bel-" McGonagall froze when she set eyes on Tansy, noticing the blood that coated the girl. She rushed forward with a dramatic sweep, emerald robes swirling around her. "This is not your blood? But why-"

"Cogs kidnapped her Minvera. Meant to take her to the cult like he did with little Anna. Only Clarke intercepted him, noticed something was off. Tansy managed to escape and attacked Cogs, resulting in… that," Hagrid explained gruffly.

"That doesn't explain why she looks like she vomited blood everywhere," McGonagall commented thinly, still trying to take in all of the details. "You say that Professor Cogs had been behind the abduction of Anna?"

"When I found him. Belmont was screaming in the sack. We began duelling, but I'm afraid it's not really my strongest field and I lost to him. Had it not been for her ability as an Animagi I'd probably be dead," Clarke said as Hagrid seated him in a chair.

"But why? He's been a wonderful professor here for years…"

"I heard him in the Forbidden Forest a few months ago," Tansy blurted out. The stares around her drew more questions and she divulged how she had freed the Horned Serpent into the Forbidden Forest. She kept the details of the cloak out of it, but now seemed the best time to betray all of the naughty things she had gotten away with for the course of the school year. She made no mention of her trip to find Excalibur or earlier in the year when her friends joined her in becoming animagi.

"So he had been planning this for some time…" Minerva muttered before snapping up straight. "Hagrid, see Clarke to the hospital wing. Mr Filch, please put the entire school on lockdown and have Professor Flitwick charm the doors. I do not want Professor Cogs re-entering the building somehow. Miss Belmont, please come with me."

Tansy flanked Professor McGonagall and followed her through the halls as she took her wand out, casting spells on the windows to secure them, slamming doors shut with the wand of her hand. She gazed down intently at her. "How did you do it?"

"Do what, professor?" Tansy was feeling rather hopeless right now. Not because of what had happened with Cogs, but all the things she had told McGonagall. Would she be expelled from Hogwarts and brought to jail for becoming an unregistered animagi?

"Complete the process of becoming an animagi. It is not an easy process," the headmistress remarked.

"Determination, carefulness…" Tansy drawled, not certain what answer she truly wanted.

"Well, you'll have to be registered. As far as anyone knows, I taught you how to do it, since you were such a promising young student. Do you understand?"

Tansy realized now that McGonagall had been walking her back to the Slytherin common room. "Y-yes."

"Very good, now go get cleaned up and go to bed. I'll have announcements in the morning."

Taking the orders without question, Tansy whispered the password to the gargoyle and entered her common room. It was very late by now and no one was awake. This allowed for Tansy to slip to the bathing area where she could wash the dried blood of her skin.

 _You failed Asmodeus. And I've wounded one of your missionaries._


	22. Year Four: CH 11 - The Ministry's Plan

Tansy spent a long time in the bathing room, slowly scrubbing the dried blood from her flesh. This had been her first test against Asmodeus and she had sent back one of his followers with wounds that he would remember. A simple bag wouldn't be able to contain her and even if he thought he removed her wand, Excalibur couldn't be separated from her. She was unaware of the time, but when she returned to her dormitory she discovered that all of her bunk mates were all awake. Basil, Delta, Nova, and Robin were sitting upright, a few candles lit in the room as she entered.

"Tansy! Where were you? Ramsay said that you vanished and the school was turned upside down. We were forced into a lockdown, not allowed to leave our common rooms," Basil asked nervously, her eyes wide as she watched Tansy get into her bed.

"Professor Cogs…" was all she managed and she watched Delta shudder.

"What did he do to you?" Delta muttered quietly.

"He tried to kidnap me!"

The Slytherin girls looked among themselves and it was Nova who cleared her throat uncertainly. "Do you think he was responsible for what happened to that girl, Anna?"

"Yes, I'm positive. I thought it was Clarke… but he tried to save me. Cogs tried to kill him, but I wounded him pretty badly and was able to heal Clarke," Tansy elaborated.

"Clarke is all talk," Basil waved her hand dismissively. "He talks to the pretty girls, but I've never heard about him touching anyone. I think some girls reported him because they were uncomfortable with his flirting, but I think he's married or something and that's just how he is personally. I've helped Hagrid and Professor Clarke out a handful of times and when I was alone with Clarke he just made a few jokes, but never laid a hand on me other than to help carry something."

 _And I thought he was trying to touch my butt that day_ , Tansy thought wryly, having been one of the girls mistaking Clarke's attitude for unwarranted advances. "But what did Cogs do to you?" she directed her question toward Delta.

"He's so creepy! With all of the girls who weren't doing 'great' or gave him attention because they were trying to suck up, he make excuses to have them in a classroom alone. I knew he was being a creep and when he gave me detention once, I made sure I wasn't in that classroom by myself. I don't know what it is about him, but people didn't dislike him because he was a strict teacher."

"He works for the Cult. He was trying to take me wherever he took Anna," Tansy told her, shaking her head. She'd never been very interested in Professor Cogs and he seemed to sense her neutral behavior. Tansy also had not been the type who sucked up to professors. She just did her work, handed it in, and blended into the background. Only time she would answer questions is when everyone else had been exhausted.

"So what's going to happen?" Robin murmured quietly.

"McGonagall is going to make an announcement in the morning, but we're safe for now," Tansy told her, but did she feel safe? Despite her victory, there was an unsettled ebbing in the pit of her stomach.

"I'm glad you made it away safely," Basil smiled weakly.

"Thanks, glad to be here," Tansy flashed her a reassuring smile, but that had been a close call.

 _I wonder why he hadn't been able to apparate. I know that the castle has a lot of magic that doesn't allow apparitions, but he should have been able to once outside,_ she contemplated, grateful that he hadn't been capable of apparating. She wondered if it had anything to do with her or Excalibur.

Eventually, the girls settled down for the night, though Tansy laid awake for a couple of hours. Images of what had happened kept running through her head like a movie rewinding and highlighting the sections where she became splattered in blood and enjoyed the expression of terror on his face. He had deserved it and she delivered justice. Even if it had been bloody and callous, it was justice.

Tansy didn't sleep well, but when she awoke, the Slytherins collected in the common room to wait for directions. They had been put in lockdown and were only allowed to leave when their house professor, Slughorn, arrived. He escorted the bulk of the Slytherin house to the Great Hall, where the rest of the students were waiting.

Aside from Slytherin and Hufflepuff, most of the other students appeared very confused as to why the school had been put on lockdown and why they needed escorts. However, there were at least a dozen, well dressed witches and wizards bordering the Great Hall, standing post. From the shiny badges on their chests to the solemn expressions, there was no mistaking that the Ministry of Magic had made their way to Hogwarts overnight and a squad of Aurors was now there.

The hall remained hushed and McGonagall eventually stood up, a large dark skinned man sitting beside her. The Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, was adorned in a dark blue robe speckled with silver stars.

"Good morning," McGonagall began, her dark eyes sweeping across the hall. "Some of you are aware of what conspired last night, but if not, I shall inform you that one of our very own professor was working the the Cult. It is believed that he kidnapped Anna Tarrow and attempted to kidnap another student last night. If not for the interception of Professor Clarke and the quick thinking of the student, we might have had a murder and kidnapping scandal on our hands. While wounded, Professor Clarke is recovering from his injuries and the student is back safely in her house.

"Due to the actions of Professor Cogs, The Ministry of Magic has arrived to conduct their own investigation and will also appoint Aurors to stay here at Hogwarts until the end of the term. During this time, I ask that you all show respect and do as the Aurors request, they are here for your safety," she then turned to glance at the tall man sitting beside her.

Kingsley Shacklebolt stood up and took over. "We have been working diligently to pinpoint the Cult and have been working in tandem with other countries, that are also affected. It would seem that this is occurring across Europe. But do not fear, Hogwarts is one of the safest places for you to be and I will personally make certain that something like that does not happen again. I am putting my own best to work here to protect you. If anyone has information they believe might be pertinent, you can report it to any of the Aurors or Professor Potter. Don't think that any detail is too small, every bit helps," the minister announced.

"Due to the recent events, there will be no further trips to Hogsmeade. All Quidditch practices and games require an escort, otherwise there will be no leaving the castle," McGonagall added as Shacklebolt sat back down.

Breakfast began and most of the hall remained quiet, unsettled that one of the professors that had been there for years had been working for the Cult spreading terror across Europe. The promise of the Minister of Magic didn't seem to completely satisfy everyone and many thought it was a last ditch effort. From the theories that Tansy overheard, people believed that this had something to do with the followers of Voldemort. In turn, some believed that the Slytherins had information. None truly knew that it had been a Slytherin who had been abducted in the first place and Tansy didn't want everyone knowing what had truly happened.

When they were dismissed, Jasper found Tansy and Nova.

"You had detention with Cogs last night-" Jasper began in a hissing whisper as they began toward their first class.

"Yeah it was me," she grumbled.

"He tried to…" Jasper trailed off, his nostrils flaring. "You didn't even do anything. I was wondering why he gave you detention too, but I get it now."

"Tansy kicked his ass," Nova assured him.

"You're not hurt are you?" Jasper asked.

"No, but Professor Clarke was. I guess Clarke is just weird, not a creep… I had to tell them I was Animagi. I attacked Cogs in my Animagi form," Tansy sighed, shaking her head. "But I didn't say anything about you two. I'm going to have be registered though…"

"That's how you stopped him? He must have been a bloody mess," Jasper breathed.

"Yeah…" she glanced away, rubbing her arms as if she felt a chill.

"Belmont," the drawling sneer of a familiar voice made her turn. Lyla's eyes glinted as she and her Pretties stopped by to greet her. "Glad you were able to take care of that…. _Undesirable_ wizard. My parents have been trying to get Cogs fired from the school for years now. I suppose he was just as hopeless when they went to school with him, not difficult to believe he fell in with the wrong crowd. He was easy to manipulate in school too they always told me. Anyways, I'm glad you didn't get kidnapped or else I wouldn't have anyone to have my fun with…"

Somehow, Tansy thought that Lyla was trying to give her some sort of compliment. "Uh… Glad not to be kidnapped too."

She didn't know how Lyla had realized she had been the student who was abducted, but maybe she had overheard them talking. Lyla flashed a smile that was more akin to baring her teeth and then flipped her strawberry blonde curls, nearly hitting Tansy in the face, before she sauntered away.

In each classroom there was an Auror posted. Tansy hadn't believed she'd seen that many Aurors in the Great Hall. She had originally thought that maybe one had been posted in every class, but then realized that it seemed as if they were following her. She only had reprieve in Defense Against the Dark Arts. The only reason she supposed they didn't have an Auror in there was because Harry Potter was one himself. Once class ended, she approached his desk, waiting for the rest of the students to file out. However, Jasper and Nova just joined her by the desk instead of stepping out.

"Professor, I was just wondering why there seem to be Aurors everywhere I go. I know there are a lot here, but…"

"You're not imagining it," Potter told her, pushing his circular glasses up his nose with a weary smile. "McGonagall wants to make certain you are properly protected. Asmodeus wanted you for a reason and as I've discussed with her, it likely has to deal with the knowledge you have. If he were to take you from us, that would mean that we would have no Belmont to translate your codex. Losing you would be the nail in the coffin."

Tansy hadn't believed herself that important and Potter didn't know about the dream she had. No one really knew that Asmodeus wanted her because of a curse her father had placed on him. Only a Belmont could release it and as far as she knew, she was the only Belmont living. He also wanted her to become his bride, his sick, twisted way of getting back at her father for what he had done. Tansy didn't think Asmodeus truly knew that what was stored in the Belmont journal might be his undoing. Tansy wasn't certain either, seeing that she couldn't read half of it… Or at least she didn't think she could.

 _I'll have to check later_.

The last few months of school at Hogwarts were absolutely awful. Tansy and Nova were only able to see Jasper by escort of an Auror or professor. As Potter had stated, no one wanted to let their eyes off of her unless she was safe in the Slytherin common room. She wasn't allowed to leave the castle and hoped to be allowed to see the last Quidditch game of the season. All of the professors were on edge, constantly vigil and jumping at any bump.

The evening that Tansy had returned to her room and opened her grandfather's journal, she realized that passages of the second section were now readable. The handwriting was different and the signature belonged to not her grandfather, but her father.

' _From my recent studies in the occult behavior, I've come to classify various levels of demons. Some muggles who possess some remnants of magic, though not enough to be considered wizards, use these Satanic rituals and summon real demons from the Hell plane. These demons can take hosts in muggles and I've witnessed ones that are powerful enough that can even possess wizards._

 _I speculate that these demons are spirits from the Hell plane that report to some higher being, an archdemon. Whether this is an other worldly being or can be a wizard, I am uncertain. But from my own research into Christian literature, I believe that the archdemons of hell are witches and wizards who delved into the occult and became inhuman, infusing themselves with spirits from the Hell plane in order to gain power._

 _The lesser demons I have interrogated also prove that True Names are important. Just like Fae, a True Name offers command over them. In order to obtain a True Name, a demon must be tortured to a point where they are willing to divulge it. I have found that these incantations work in expelling demons from a host after the name is learned.'_

Her father's work went into deep details about his expeditions and research on demons. They were capable of magic of their own, but required a host in order to do anything. Although, he theorized that if the plane became weakened enough, demons could cross the threshold in their own, malformed bodies. Blood magic seemed to be the center of it all. Any ritual that required blood or sacrifice to cast was categorized as dark, satantic magic.

' _From the wizards I have met that experimented in the occult magic, I've seen that it wears thin on their sanity. What may have just been morbid curiosity eventually dashes all sense of logic or reason. An intelligent wizard who might have been researching the Hell plane is even at risk of succumbing to its madness. Having seen it first hand, I've refrained from trying my own hand in it.'_

Her reading delved into incantations that could exorcise demons. She reread it until she had the words memorized, just in case the need arose. It would seem that her grandfather's theories led to her father's research and her father expanded on what his father had done. Now that Tansy had Excalibur, she wondered if the weapon's skill and holiness would allow for her to add her own passages to the journal.

With the year coming to an end, she rarely had any alone time with both Jasper and Nova. Due to Jasper being in Gryffindor they only saw him in classes and if they went to the library there was always an Auror trailing after her. As McGonagall had told her, she had to register as an Animagi, though she didn't know why it was such a big deal. She wondered if they could track her shapeshifting or would just know it was her if she were ever sighted doing something bad.

Thankfully, she was able to go to the last game of the year, which was Gryffindor vs Ravenclaw for the Quidditch Cup. Just as she had expected, the Aurors had been certain to cast various charms and wards before the match had even began. Tansy and Nova wished Jasper the best of luck being taking their seats with the rest of the school. Most were in attendance, even if it wasn't their house, just because the victor would win the cup.

Sunlight streamed from above them and the day was mild, a gentle breeze tugging at their casual clothing. Tansy enjoyed a hot cider, sitting with the girls in her year from Slytherin. Most of Slytherin was present, keen on Ravenclaw winning, though Tansy would have preferred if Gryffindor won.

Madam Hooch came onto the field with the players trailing her. When the whistle blew and the teams took the sky, a rather heated game began.

"And Gryffindor takes the quaffle, bringing it over to the Ravenclaw side. Looks like they've got a clean going. Wow! There we go, 10 points scored by Gryffindor in just the first minute!" the announcer called. "Quaffle is being turned over and Ravenclaw is driving forward, but-oh! Deflected by the Keeper, Ironly. Hang on there-"

Just minutes into the game the bludgers began going haywire. They zipped around, shaking uncontrollable and then all converged to head toward a center point.

"The bludgers appear to be targeting the Gryffindor seeker!" the announcer cried.

The audience stood up, trying to see what was going on. The seekers had already been on the snitch and suddenly, the bludgers were heading straight for Kline. He had to turn his broom away from the path of the snitch to prevent the bludgers from savaging the other seeker and began a brutal chase.

"It's one of the Ravenclaw players!" Nova hissed, pointing at one of the players who was sitting motionless on their broom, muttering incantations underneath their breath.

Suddenly, two of the bludgers peeled off from Kline and directed themselves toward the nearest players. One Gryffindor was unseated and suddenly a Ravenclaw was too. Players were fighting to stay on their brooms, not the play the game. While two of the bludgers were just trying to pick off players, there was one persistently chasing Kline.

Aurors were already flooding to the field, trying to see what was going on. Tansy snatched a pair of looking glasses from a nearby house mater and saw that the player cursing the field had completely black eyes.

"I'm going down there," Tansy told Nova.

"What? Why? The Aurors will handle it," Nova spat, having ducked behind some of the bleachers in case the bludgers decided to come after the audience next.

"Because they're not going to be able to solve this and I don't want to see them kill someone!" Tansy hissed before sprinting down onto the field. She ducked by the Aurors who were fixated on casting counter curses to stop the mayhem. She seized a broom from a fallen player and mounted, zipping up onto the field which was in total madness. Brooms were going wild and players fought for control; Tansy had Excalibur in her hand as she sailed towards the Ravenclaw.

Aurors might have also been taking to the sky, but she saw spells flying at the student, trying to take her out of the sky. However, there seemed to be an invisible shield deflecting their shots.

Tansy leveled with the player, who turned their smokey black eyes to look at her. A smile crawled across her face and she stopped the incantations, although the spells that the Aurors sent still made no purchase.

"I figured it was a matter of time before Asmodeus sent a little message of his own back," Tansy told the demon.

" _Yes, he's rather surprised that you managed to wound one of his pets so badly. Naughty, naughty Belmont. He sent me to have a little fun. These silly little Aurors don't even know the first thing when it comes to handling one of my kind,"_ the voice that came from the Ravenclaw was male and high pitched.

"And I suppose you expected that I'd be able to send you back to hell?" she speculated.

" _Hm, not really. I'm waiting for this girl to be killed. It's the only way I can be expelled from the body… Well, more like it has to be destroyed. I can still control a dead body,_ " the demon snickered.

"Wouldn't it just be a shame if I knew the proper incantation to prevent that?"

A high pitched fit of laughter escaped the girl's lips. " _I doubt it._ "

"Why don't we take this back to the ground?" Tansy leveled her wand at the demon and the girl's brows furrowed together. The wood glinted madly in the sun almost as if it were metal rather than the pale wood. Perhaps for the fleetest of moments, in the highlight of the sun, Tansy could be seen leveling a sword in the girl's direction rather than a wand.

" _What is thattttttt?"_

" _Perago!_ " her spell bit through the demon's shields and struck him in the chest. The spell could not wound a human, for they were not innately dark beings, but the demon felt the brunt of it. His evil soul trembled at the touch of the charm and he was sent flying from the broomstick. Quickly, she used a spell to slow the girl's falling and followed her down to the ground. Now that the field was back under control, the Aurors flocked around her, as if to take control of the situation. "Stay back! She's possessed, there is nothing you can do here."

There was a deep sense of smugness from telling Aurors they had no idea what they were doing, but they didn't seem to like her command. One Auror shouldered her behind him and once the demon had recovered, groaning in pain, it turned its inky eyes to glower at them all.

"Stay back girl," another Auror told her.

"You don't understand. It's not her, she's possessed!" Tansy snapped, but now that the adults were here, they didn't want to heed her.

" _Perhaps you should listen to the girl,"_ the demon sneered and with a casual wave of its hand it sent a pair of Aurors flying violently into a rafter.

The demon was then pelted with an astonishing amount of hexes and jinxes, causing dirt to kick up and create a cloud. When it faded and the Aurors remained poised, the demon remained on the ground laughing hysterically.

"What is it?"

"How can this be?"

"The only way can be a curse then…"

" _No!_ " Tansy screamed, forcing her way back to the front.

The demon tried a spell on her, but Tansy deflected it with the Holy Shield charm. It blinked apprehensively, astonished that she had been able to resist him.

"It's my turn," Tansy told him through gritted teeth. "And I want to know your name. Mine is Tansy Belmont… Now, if you would so kindly. _Deus fides!_ " She had never gotten to test these spells that she had read of her father's, but it was now or never. The Aurors were contemplating using the Killing Curse on this girl.

The demon writhed under her grasp. God's Truth or Trust was intended to put those of hellish origin under a holy thumbnail, causing immense pain in the same manner that a Cruciatus Curse did to humans. She poised her wand, twisting it as if she were turning a dagger in a wound. It began wailing in pain, causing people around her to flinch, stepping away as Tansy continued torturing it.

"Speak your name!" Tansy snarled through clenched teeth.

" _Noooooo. Whatever you do to me, He will do tenfold worse,_ " the demon sobbed.

"Are you certain? I don't think your leader can cast holy spells. _Fides!_ " she turned the spell up another notch, the demon falling to its hands and knees. "Speak it! Speak your name!"

" _Abraxas. ABRAXAS!_ "

" _Regna terrae, cantata Deo, psallite Cernunnos,_

 _Regna terrae, cantata Dea psallite Aradia._

 _caeli Deus, Deus terrae, Humiliter majestati gloriae tuae supplicamus_

 _Ut ab omni infernalium spirituum potestate, Laqueo, and deceptione nequitia,_

 _Omnis fallaciae, libera nos, dominates._

 _Exorcizamus Abraxas omnis immundus spiritus Omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio,_

 _Infernalis adversarii, omnis legio,_

 _Omnis and congregatio secta diabolica._

 _Ab insidiis diaboli, libera nos, dominates,_

 _Ut coven tuam secura tibi libertate servire facias,_

 _Te rogamus, audi nos!_

 _Ut inimicos sanctae circulae humiliare digneris,_

 _Te rogamus, audi nos!_

 _Terribilis Deus Sanctuario suo, Cernunnos ipse truderit virtutem plebi Suae,_

 _Aradia ipse fortitudinem plebi Suae._

 _Benedictus Deus, Gloria Patri, Benedictus Dea, Matri gloria!"_

The incantation came from her mouth just as she had rehearsed, substituting the demon's name within the incantation. It could be used without, but it was more effective when using the name of the demon as it would be used as a command. At the conclusion of the incantation, the demon screeched and the girl's eyes rolled up into the back of her head. A dark smoke began emitting from her ears, nostrils, and mouth and sank deep into the earth. The Ravenclaw girl swayed and fell over unconscious.

But rather than be congratulated, the Aurors gave her bewildered stares. "What did you just do?"

The triumph she had been feeling faded. "I… exorcised the demon from her. I told you she was possessed."

When she looked around the field, she realized that most of the school had been evacuated and only the Ministry workers and some of the professors had remained.

Potter stepped toward her swiftly, glancing around at his peers.

"That girl was speaking Parseltongue," an Auror remarked.

 _I was?_ She glanced up at Harry, her eyes round and confused.

"That thing… it spoke Parseltongue and she answered it. What was it?" the Aurors were giving her dubious glances now.

"This girl is a Belmont, all of her blood can speak Parseltongue," Potter told them, placing a hand on her shoulder, giving a reassuring squeeze. "Tansy, what was that?"

"It was a demon," she told them plainly.

"A demon? A demon like what? Technically grindylows are demons."

"No, it was a demon from the Hell plane. They're like spirits, except they're malicious and under control of someone stronger than themself. I'd say that one wasn't a very powerful demon, he gave me his True Name rather quickly," Tansy explained, when more questioning stares met her. "My father wrote all about it… That was his incantation I used. His spells to fight it. Only holy spells can hurt a demon, the ones you were hurling did nothing against its defenses. You can kill the host, but that doesn't kill the demon."

"Potter is this the girl you've been getting information from?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, she is the one filling in the blanks for the codexes we have. She has been giving me the spells that her family created to fight dark creatures and spirits from the Hell plane. Although… everything I've seen now is new."

"I just learned it myself… And if the school doesn't want any more demons cropping up I'd advise a proper warding with holy incantations. I can supply them-"

"Where are you getting this knowledge from?" an Auror demanded.

"My family kept a journal," she had never wanted to betray that, but with the several eyes bearing down on her, she felt she had no choice. "About their research and I've been teaching myself the topics."

"Where is this journal?" asked another.

"You won't be able to read it. Only a Belmont can read it," she told them uncomfortably.

But this was not the end of the conversation. The Ravenclaw girl was brought to the hospital wing to recover from her experience and Tansy was brought to the headmistress's office where the Aurors began interrogating her under the watchful eyes of Potter and McGonagall.

"See? I told you," Tansy grumbled as the Aurors tried to read her grandfather's journal.

No matter what spells they used to try and reveal the words, it remained unreadable. In fact, they had problems just keeping the journal open. Once it was out of Tansy's hands it would try to slam shut and lock itself.

"Read it out loud," requested another.

But when Tansy read it, she could only speak in Parseltongue, much to the dismay of all of the Aurors. Some thought she was doing it on purpose, but she wasn't even aware when she spoke Parseltongue. They even tried to have her write it down, but when she tried to, the ink turned to smoke on the parchment and evaporated.

"Merlin's beard, the Belmonts really took every precaution to protect their work," McGonagall remarked, impressed.

The Aurors did not seem as appreciative of this notion and turned to Potter. "This girl will have to be protected. If she can teach us how to fight these monsters…"

"I've already started arranging it with Shacklebolt. He agrees that there will need to be various Aurors posted in her hometown during the summer. It is safest for her to not be in London, but in the countryside. During that time, she can teach the Aurors in proximity to her the incantations and spells," Potter said, glancing over at her, acknowledging that she was still in the room.

"To think that there was a family that knew of all of this way before we did."

"It's because all records were destroyed," Tansy told him. "It turned into nothing more than muggle religion and legend, due to all of the records being destroyed over a thousand years ago. It had been meant for our protection, but now that we face it again, there's now nothing on the subject that might save us. My grandfather was obsessed with muggle religion and how he'd witnessed exorcisms and wondered where these dark beings came from and why wizards paid them no heed. His intrigue only grew when he created holy spells and they were potent against creatures like wraiths and banshees."

"What once may have been perceived as a waste of time or the ramblings of a madman is now our salvation," Harry shook his head.

"People used to think Albus was mad," McGonagall reminded him.

"I suppose the best wizards are."


	23. Year Five: CH 1 - The Worst Summer Ever

**Hello and thank you all for your support! You guys really make it worth continuing this story. I really enjoy reading your reviews and questions and am astounded how many views we now have. Thank you so much for your continued support!**

 **\- Fae**

* * *

Tansy had not been looking forward to summer, just because she was going to be watched like a hawk. It wasn't as if she really did anything exciting anyways, but the idea of constantly being watched skeeved her out. Little did she know it wasn't the Ministry of Magic that was going to make this the worst summer ever. Upon returning home to Rye, she discovered that one of Auntie Esta's squib friend from Burnley had come to stay at their cottage. Only 'stay' meant live with them for an undetermined amount of time.

Miss Foxtrot had always been a shrewd and pessimistic woman who preferred to complain about everything in life. She was a petite, bony thin with her skin drawn tightly against her frame. Despite how thin she was, she wasn't pretty in the slightest. Her nose was too narrow, her cheekbones gaunt, and her eyes like two suspicious dots that scrutinized everyone and anything.

Tansy understood now why Esta had been friends with her back in Burnley. Both of them had been from wizarding families that estranged them for not having magic of their own. However, while Esta adored magic and loved seeing it, Miss Foxtrot loathed everything about it. She thought magic was foul and due to her envy, claimed that she was better without it.

For all the times Miss Foxtrot had lent Esta money and helped out, Esta felt indebted enough to help the woman after she had been evicted from her home in Burnley, having been laid off by her job. Tansy doubted she had been 'laid off' and had been fired instead. With a face and attitude like Miss Foxtrot's there's no way she would have lasted forever in the customer service industry.

Esta had already told Tansy that Miss Foxtrot was not a permanent thing and that they were only helping her until she could get back onto her feet. But Tansy noticed that the woman was rude to both her and Gordon, favoring Hobson. Foxtrot had also painted the room she was staying in and making comments about the fashion of the house being outdated.

"I don't see why you send Gordon to that school. You should be sending him to the same place as his brother, maybe he wouldn't be as snooty if you did," Miss Foxtrot remarked over tea one day. Tansy had been sitting in the adjoining den reading a book when she overheard the woman scrutinizing them again.

When she had first arrived home, the woman had been incredibly dismayed, she had raked her eyes over Tansy. "So you've won the lottery and given this girl a home? I know you have a softer heart for magic, but I would have given her right to the Ministry." And if Miss Foxtrot could find anything wrong with Tansy, she would make certain to loudly voice her opinions in her shrill, nasally voice.

Esta, wishing to repay her old friend for previous kindnesses, didn't speak up against it. Instead, she pursed her lips and forced smile, pretending as if she didn't hear the foul things the woman spat about her adopted daughter and youngest son.

"The school has done Gordon well. I expect he'll be able to get into some very good schools. He said he wants to become a lawyer," Esta chirped, trying to balance out the negativity, dropping three extra sugar cubes into her tea with a shaking hand.

Foxtrot snorted, shaking her head. "A lawyer? No offense Esta, but I don't think he's smart enough. Don't waste your money… Look at Hobson, he's already got a job at the local farm doesn't he? Hard, honest work is the way to do it. Not this extra schooling and lawyering."

"We'll see," was all Esta managed.

"And what about the girl?" Foxtrot rarely called Tansy by name, as if not being Esta's biological child meant she didn't truly have a name.

Tansy stuffed her nose closer to the center of the book, hoping that she could block out the conversation.

"She's continuing her studying at Hogwarts? I can't believe you have a witch in your house, poor luck if you ask me. You did say she has some family in London. Why can't you ship her off?"

"I'm rather fond of her," Esta replied smoothly. "She's an exceptional student as Hogwarts too."

"Hmph, magic is magic. I'm only glad I got spared of it," Foxtrot grumbled.

Many of the days were like this and Tansy felt as if she could barely leave her own room. Sometimes she went out into the garden to help de-gnome it with Maxwell. The crup was also being punished just as much as her and spent most of his time in her room with her and Pumpkin. The poor dog only got to see Esta at night when she would allow him into her room, but Foxtrot was absolutely terrified of him. And for good reason, Maxwell hated her. Pumpkin was no better, once the half-kneazle had slipped out of her room and began spitting and hissing when she came across Foxtrot. Tansy had never seen her cat acct in such a way, but supposed the rumors about crups and kneazles being able to identify bad people was true.

Every so often she would gaze over the garden wall longingly, wondering what fun Jasper was having with his uncle. She felt imprisoned in her own house and Hobson was strutting around as if he owned the place again. Mr Enright rarely came around since Miss Foxtrot didn't like him. Even writing letters was an ordeal, because Frodo wasn't allowed anywhere near the house since he'd bitten Miss Foxtrot.

The only freedom she had was when she got to go spend time with the Aurors and she wouldn't exactly call that fun. She spent her time teaching them the spells her grandfather and father had written, so that they could be utilized against the Cult.

What she had noticed most was that Frodo wasn't bringing in any letters and she had yet to see any delivered from the owls of her friends. She had been hoping to hear from Jasper, wondering if he were going to visit her since she was basically on house arrest with the devil, but hadn't gotten a letter from him either. No matter how many times she sent Frodo out, he never brought anything back.

One morning, Esta was out and while Tansy was pouring herself a cup of milk, Miss Foxtrot came down bleary eyed, having just woken up. In the time that Tansy had run laps around their large yard and taken a shower, Miss Foxtrot had only managed to put on a robe and gave her a thin glare.

"Tea, girl," she demanded snippily.

Tansy hadn't put any on the stove and didn't plan to. As if she hadn't heard the woman, she picked up her glass of milk and began to retreat toward her room.

"I'm _talking_ to you," Foxtrot snapped just as she reached the doorway.

Tansy weighed the options in her head. She could ignore the woman and then have her complain to Esta later… And Esta already owed Tansy a lot for having this nightmare in the house and pretending she didn't head the slander she constantly spat. But seeing that Esta wasn't here…

"It's nearly noon, do it yourself," Tansy told her nonchalantly.

"Wait till Esta hears about this."

"Please, enlighten her," Tansy left smugly and went to her room to finish her breakfast.

But it was not Esta that bothered her next. A rap on her door and Hobson entered, his greasy hair mopped back from his gaunt face as he sneered at her. "I hear you've been bothering our guest," he remarked.

"And I recall that you're not allowed in my bedroom, thief," Tansy didn't even glance up from her book that she was reading.

"I'd be careful if I were you. You can't use magic here and mum isn't home," Hobson took a menacing step forward.

"And last I remember, I've got the Ministry sleeping on our doorstep. If I were to use magic, I think they'd easily overlook it if I told them you threatened me," she retorted, but when she glanced up he was just paces away from her. Pumpkin had stopped relaxing beside her and stood up, the massive cat arching her back as she glared at the boy approaching them.

Hobson shifted the subject. "You get a boyfriend yet? Oh let me guess, you've had several already. You seem the type to not care too much about relationships and hurting people."

"I don't see how any of this pertains to you."

"Just trying to create some small talk," he shrugged.

"It's never _just_ small talk with you," she grumbled begrudgingly.

"What about that boy next door, Jasper or whatever?"

"He's not at his parents home this summer."

"Yeah uncle or something, right?"

Tansy's eyes snapped up from her book and she leered at him. "How did you know that?..." she paused, considering. "How did you know his name? You never met him."

A cruel smile unfolded on the boy's lips and Tansy began to feel her blood boiling. "Perhaps a little birdy."

"Or a large one named Frodo! Where are my letters?" Tansy demanded, throwing her book to the side. She had thought that maybe the letters had been misplaced or her friends had been too busy to write to her, but she had been making poor excuses. Neither of them would have forgotten to write to her. Nova never forgot!

"Letters?" he glanced up as if he didn't know what she was speaking of, but the smirk on his face ave away that he was taking too much pleasure from the exchange.

"Tell me where they are or I'll tell your mother."

"You really think my mother will care after she hears what you did to Miss Foxtrot this morning?"

"I wouldn't make her a pot of tea, so what?" Tansy asked narrowly.

"Or that you cursed her once she made a simple request of you. All she wanted was a pot of tea and since mother wasn't home you lashed out. After all, witches are just witches."

"I didn't touch her! And you have no proof. If I had used a curse on her, Esta would have heard of it from the Ministry."

"But didn't you just say it yourself? They'd be willing to overlook it for you, their favorite little pet."

"Go ahead and lie, you have no proof against me," Tansy told him contemptuously, but she couldn't help but feel nervous. Miss Foxtrot and Hobson wouldn't falsify evidence to make it look like she did something, right? Plus, she wasn't 17 yet, she still had the Trace on her, so if Esta really wanted to make certain she would know that it wasn't true.

 _But that's not how Esta thinks. Blame first, ask questions later,_ Tansy thought and Hobson was grinning, knowing just how his mother was.

"We'll see," Hobson shrugged, finally leaving her to herself.

Doubt filled Tansy and just as she predicted, Esta flew into her room like a bat out of hell. Her blonde curls whirled around her face as she glared at Tansy.

"I cannot believe you did it! I expected that I raised you better than that! What have you to say for yourself?"

"No matter what I say, you shall not believe me," Tansy replied evenly before she was grounded to her room for the night without dinner.

With only Pumpkin for company, she laid on her bed, wondering what kind of scene was playing downstairs. She expected that both Foxtrot and Hobson was gleeful at the dinner table with their victory over her. What she wished she had was her letters from her friends. Hobson had gone through them and had read them, garnering the information from Jasper. At this point, she contemplated using spellwork to unlock his room and steal back was rightfully hers, but decided against it.

She didn't need more fuel for Esta's fire, even if what they blamed her for wasn't true. Eventually, Esta would realize that, but for now she could coast on the waves and wearily accept what fate had handed her.

It would all get better once she returned to Hogwarts. She couldn't even visit Uncle Garrick due to how 'dangerous' London would be. The school and its grounds would be safe from the Cult and she could go back to learning new material and hanging around with her companions. She just prayed that it wouldn't be the same, monitored schedule as it had been for the latter portion of her fourth year.

Tansy had dozed off, gazing at her ceiling, when a noise roused her from her dreamless sleep. A loud hum, almost like the intensified sound of a cat purring thrummed outside her window. She glanced at Pumpkin, who had not been lying near her face, possibly creating the sound.

Drawing her wand, she tiptoed to her windows and pulled back the curtains, wondering if the Cult had found the location of her home.

But instead of a dark robed figure, she saw a hovering motorcycle stalling just outside her window. Seated on its back was… "Jasper?" Tansy hissed, throwing one of the windows open. "What are you doing here?"

"You weren't answering any of my letters, so I thought I'd drop in on you to see if you were ok," he grinned.

Glancing around fervently, she didn't observe anything out of the ordinary. Rye was quiet this deep into the night. "And you couldn't have come during the day?"

"Not really my style, plus if something was wrong…"

"How are you… What are you?" she tried to put her several questions to words and instead ended with a sharp breath escaping her lips. "Where on earth did you get that motorbike?"

"I told you my uncle tinkered. Come on, let's go for a ride," he extended a hand in through her window.

 _I shouldn't leave, what if something happens while we're out? We're both underage technically and enchanting muggle items?_ But she took his hand answers and he pulled her onto the bike behind him, leaving the window open. Only then did she remember she was only in her sleeping gown, but it was too late to mention it. Before she even uttered a word Jasper had revved the engine of the bike, causing it to pop and roar, jetting off into the midnight sky. It took her quickest reflexes to grab onto Jasper to not be thrown from the bike.

Hand encircling his abdomen, Tansy rested her head against his back as she glanced around the speckled sky. He had the headlight of the bike off, using the light of the moon and stars to guide him. She admired the constellations that were clearly visible in the beautiful summer night, the wind blowing back through her long, dark hair. Flying on the bike was entirely different from how a broom felt.

Jasper brought the bike down among a throng of trees on a high hill. The glade had a clear view of the sky and the grass was tall, untamed and uncut. No one came out here, this was wild territory.

Once they touched down, Tansy hooked her leg over and off, her bare toes digging to the grass which was coated in a thin sheen of dew. Glancing over at her friend, she saw that the summer had done him kindly. He had been out in the sun, his skin kissed by it, his chestnut had still messy and shoulder length.

"So what's been going on?" he asked her, turning the bike off, leaning against it.

"Uhg, it's been the worst summer ever," Tansy sighed, throwing herself down into the tall grass, the dew eating through the back of her thin gown, chilling her flesh. "There's this Squib who had been staying with us and she's absolutely _awful_. A bit like Filch except Esta is afraid to say anything to her. She loves Hobson and has got it out for me or anything magic. Not to mention I just found out today that Hobson was pocketing all of my letters."

"Oh, he pocketed them all?" he arched a brow at her, as if there might have been something important in them.

"Yup, so that's why I haven't answered any of your letters. Although," she propped herself up on her elbows to look at him. "If the Aurors found out that you took me in the middle of the night…"

"I'm not going to keep you here long," he promised. "And… I might have tipped one of them off."

"Hm, so this is all scheduled then? Smart… Smarter than I thought you'd be."

"You have to give me credit," he plopped down in the grass next to her.

"When it's due," she smirked. "How's your summer been?"

"The best in a long time. My uncle doesn't try to make me be someone I'm not. Also, he comes up with the craziest ideas. That over there, said it wasn't his idea originally, but liked it so much that he decided to create his own," Jasper motioned to the motorcycle.

"I'm assuming the Ministry would have a field day if they looked in his house," she speculated.

"Not technically. He actually does these 'experiments' for them. Turns muggle items into things more useful for wizards. That way if we ever need to work alongside of the muggles we have items that look like theirs, but function in wizard ways. He just happens… to misplace some of the from time to time," Jasper grinned. "Are you going to meet up with Nova and I at Diagon Alley to get your school supplies?"

"I think the Ministry is going to get them for me or escort me. Not certain how that's working yet. Until I get to Hogwarts, I'm guarded just as well as some of the vaults at Gringotts."

"Obviously not," he glanced over at her and then motioned to the sky above them.

"Just when I was beginning to feel important," she joked wrly.

They basked in the glow of the stars and moon for about an hour before Jasper mentioned that they had better get back. She wondered how he had done it, how he had contacted one of the Aurors and gotten this time reserved to check in on her. Part of Tansy had hoped that something more might happen, but it was purely a friend spending time with her.

Jasper brought her back to her room, which she slipped in through the window, feeling keen and awake despite the hour.

"I'll come and visit you again this summer. Maybe my uncle and I can take you around town. There's a lot to do here if you know where to look," Jasper told her, giving a small wink before he bid farewell and left her in her undisturbed bedroom.

The house barely stirred and Tansy sat on her bed next to Pumpkin, who pressed up against her, purring loudly. She ran her fingers through the calico's plush coat without an afterthought, letting out a long wistful sigh.

"I'm quite hopeless, aren't I?" she asked the feline, rolling over in bed so that she could lay the enormous cat on her chest. "He probably only sees me as a friend. I've got none of the assets that he looks for, all the girls he dates are much prettier than I am. I suppose it's better to remain his friend than ruin it, right?"

Pumpkin blinked her eyes, taking a fluffy paw and planting it on Tansy's face with a soft pat. "Mreow."

"Don't give me that attitude," Tansy scolded lightheartedly. "I could ruin it by saying anything."

"Prrrreow," the half-kneazle argued.

"We'll see. I mean, he did come and find me in the middle of the night. And the ball is being held this year, maybe he'll ask me," Tansy speculated, but she didn't want to get her hopes up. Jasper had no issue asking girls on dates, so if he had those sort of feelings, he would have just asked her by now.

 _Talented witch, hopeless romantic,_ Tansy thought sourly, imagining those words would make a rather good title for a novel.

Sunlight filtered in through her open window and the heat of the day swelled inward, stirring her from her dozing. No one had come to wake her and by the position of the sun, she assumed that it was nearly lunch time. Tansy never slept that late, so her grounding was probably still in session. If she wanted food she'd have to go make something or sneak out.

 _I've got to spend time with the Aurors today, maybe they'll feed me,_ she thoughtly glumly as she found a forest green dress with a white collar to put on. She had only finished brushing her hair, trolloping down the stairs in a fairly good mood, when she saw the well dressed Mr Nunez and Mr Quail standing awkwardly in the mud room with Esta.

The woman shot her a glare, a reminder that she had forgotten the previous day's ordeal. "As I was saying, my son stated that he witnessed her cast a curse-"

"Here? We would have been notified, there hasn't been any magic going on here. As long as she's under 17, she's got the Trace and tracked by the Ministry. We would have been the first to know," Nunez assured her, glancing over at Tansy.

"Well they really do insist-" Esta started.

"Trust me, the Ministry takes underage wizardry very seriously, especially when used on people who don't have magic. You would have received a letter as well," Quail broke in.

"Oh, well..." she fell off and then took a step back, letting Tansy go over to the men. "You'll have her back before dinner, right?"

"Of course, Miss Meldar."

Tansy left the cottage flanked by the Aurors.

Nunez was a tan man on the shorter side, barely the same height as Tansy. Despite it, he was much louder and outgoing than his partner Quail. What he lacked in height, he more than made up for in attitude and prowess.

Quail was a very tall and lanky man with a hair full of messy red hair. His face was pale and covered in so many freckles that you could barely see his pasty skin beneath.

Both Aurors were dressed in suits with surcoats despite the midsummer heat of Rye. How either could bear it, she didn't know, but she did notice Quail pulling at his tight collar. Nunez didn't seem bothered by his attire at all.

"I suppose that Squib is still trying to get you in trouble, huh?" Nunez inquired, glancing over at her with warm brown eyes.

"Trying? She did, said that I cast a cursed on her and Esta believed it. Haven't had food since lunch yesterday because of it," Tansy scowled.

"Squibs are either one way or the other. Hate magic or love it. Most often it the first," Quail remarked. "Why don't we stop by the pub and get you some food? Not good to be practicing spell craft on an empty stomach."

They brought her a pub labeled with the sign The Pudgy Scarecrow. Inside, it reminded her of the Leaky Cauldron, dark, dusty and lined with guttering candles. Patrons were adorned in various queer robes and tables were only illuminated by a single candle in the center of each of the tables.

When they sat, a curvy barmaid came by and asked what they wanted. She smiled broadly at the Aurors, whose badges were hidden beneath their coats, and brought them some ale and Tansy a Shepherd's pie. From the familiar looks she gave the Aurors, the girl assumed that they habited the place quite often.

"School is sneaking back up on you, isn't it? Hard to believe that the summer blew away so fast," Nunez remarked.

"Will I be able to go to London to get my school supplies?" she asked, although she still hadn't received her Hogwarts letter for materials.

"We're under strict orders to keep you here until it's time to bring you to the Hogwarts Express," Quail told her, much to her disdain.

"And you two wonder why I'm so moody sometimes. Being pent up in that house wouldn't have been so bad if that awful woman wasn't there," she complained.

"Things work out for a reason. Hopefully things will be better when you get back."

But things weren't better, in fact they were even worse than before. Tansy hadn't done anything and even with the Aurors backing her, it was factored off as a conspiracy theory. The Aurors were lying to protect her, she was too important of her asset, she couldn't get in trouble as long as they were nearby to cover for her. Gordon was her only friend in the house, also being on Miss Foxtrot's bad side for attending a posh school. Exceptional was the most terrible quality to her. Normal was more befitting, if not mundane or juvenile.

Boys will be boys and Gordon was exceptionally feminine. Tansy felt bad when Foxtrot said those kind of things to the boy. He'd come a long way, diverging from his brutish brother and getting good marks at school. He had become rather popular and played on their rugby team. However, in Miss Foxtrot's simple opinion, he was spoiled and immature.

Still being grounded, Tansy helped set the table for dinner, though she would have much rather ran off to her bedroom to have another mealless night in peace. Foxtrot was already sniffing for chum in the water, something to take a bite of.

When she noticed a glimmer on Tansy's wrist, she snatched at the Belmont's arm and caught it in a tight, viselike grip. "What's this?" she sneered, her tiny eyes espying the watermelon tourmaline tennis bracelet she had on.

Without causing a fuss, Tansy tried to pry her arm away from the woman. "It was a Christmas present from a friend," she told her, though which friend she had never discovered.

"Tourmaline? Gold? This looks expensive," she told her before releasing Tansy's arm. "And have you thought to pay Miss Meldar back in any way for everything she's done for you? Perhaps if you sold that bracelet instead of flaunting it around, you could make a dent in the debt that Esta had invested on you. She didn't have to take you in after she won the lottery. In fact, I'm not certain why she did. You have an uncle in London, don't you?"

Esta, who had been preparing dinner, stood up and glanced over the counter. At this point, Tansy didn't know what to say anymore that wouldn't make Esta upset either. The girl believed that Esta was so near the point of no return that one mistake could cause her to blow up at anyone.

"I didn't ask for repayment, Gloria," Esta spoke evenly, wiping her hands on her apron.

"But look at her! You dress her up like a little doll and her friends give her expensive jewelry. You'd think she'd have any sense. And that ring too," she gestured to the Belmont ring that Tansy could not remove. "But I suppose that's how it is. Give an orphan a little glimpse of gold and they'll only want more. But I suppose it all stems back to blood. Her own uncle didn't even want to raise her, I can only imagine the degenerates that made up the rest of her family."

 _Ignore her, just ignore her_ , Tansy thought, drawing in a shaky breath as she tried to steady her temper. Carefully, she put down another plate and arranged the silverware neatly.

"Gloria that's not the case, there's really more to Tansy's family-" Esta argued weakly as she was brushing egg yolk over a puff pastry.

"Then why is she here? I remember back in Burnley that you rued the girl more than anything. Always causing trouble, though we know now that's because she was a witch. Ship her off to London and be done with her. She's nothing but a leech that will taper away your fortune with that wretched, comley face."

Tansy slammed the last plate down on the table so hard that it cracked in half. Both Esta and Foxtrot snapped their heads in her direction. Esta's was of utter shock and Gloria's of disdain.

"Not to mention a clumsy oaf. Can't even set a table right," Gloria added.

"Shut. Up."

Gloria turned her head to give Tansy a great look of astonishment, though her eyes twinkled with malice. She had wanted this outcome. "What did you say to me?"

"I told you to shut up you no magic, joy sucking, dementor. That's all you've done since you've arrived; scrutinized, beguiled, and turned this place from a warm family home to Azkaban. We don't think you're clever and if there was someone we're going to take advice about life from, it certainly wouldn't be you. If I recall you're unemployed and homeless, so a little humilty would go a long way," Tansy seethed, Gordon peering over the couch from the den. "And I'll have you know that Esta hasn't paid a penny for me. I've paid for all of my own supplies to Hogwarts. I have more money than your tiny little brain can even fathom. All of this-" she motioned to the house, "-is because of me. Not some lottery. Now if you want to insult me, go ahead, but do not bring my family, be it the Belmonts or the Meldars into this. If we're going to talk about families, why don't we talk about yours? Why aren't you staying with your family instead of us? Have they turned you away because of how mean and terrible you are? I seem to remember you having adult children. Are you so foul that your own family won't even foster you? I'm an orphan and I have more people who love me than you do."

Tansy had struck a note, but instead of Gloria's face crumpling and showing remorse and pain, it bunched into an angry scowl. The middle aged woman flung herself over the table and tackled her to the ground, slashing at Tansy with one of the knives that had been on the table.

Esta was screaming in the background as Tansy brought her arms up to defend herself. Gordon had sprinted, trying to grab hold of Gloria, but in her frenzy the woman was as slippery as a fish out of water. Through the screaming and terror, the front door burst open and two men strode in. One flung Gloria back, pinning her to the wall as he aimed his wand at her.

The other helped Tansy to her feet, her eyes bleary and vision obscured as blood ran down her face.

"Belmont? Belmont?" the voice was distant and it took her a moment to focus on it. Nunez was holding her up by her elbow. "What happened?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle," she finally mustered, though her speech was albeit slow.

"Over here, sit down. I don't have any dittany with me, but I know some healing spells."


	24. Year Five: CH 2 - Skin Deep

_I'm ugly, I can't believe I have to go to school like this. Now no one is going to want to do anything with me,_ Tansy thought hopelessly as the Aurors flanked her on her way to Platform 9 and ¾. The wounds she had sustained from Gloria Foxtrot had not been life threatening, but they had been deep. Without dittany, Nunez hadn't been able to prevent the scarring process. Tansy's palms and outer forearms were a crisscrossed with angry red lines and her face... She had gotten scored across her left eye and brow and across her the right side of her lips. The marks were puckered and red, still not having fully healed. They didn't ail her physically, but everytime she looked in the mirror she wanted to cry.

Despite it all, Esta had not thrown Gloria out, even with the Aurors stating they would not keep Tansy in the house with her. Tansy knew that Esta felt terrible about what had happened, she had said so, but Gloria had nowhere to go. As far as Tansy cared, Gloria had burned every bridge by being the rotten human she was. Tansy was left with scars that could never heal and ones that she could not hide. She could hide the ones on her palms with gloves and those on her arms with long sleeves, but her face...

"You look like a badass," Nunez tried to tell her.

"I don't feel like one," Tansy muttered, her hood was pulled up and she had tugged the tassels tight so that only her nose was sticking out.

"Aw come on, we can vouch for you. A hippogriff accident maybe?" Quail offered.

"It's looking better, give it another month and they'll just be silvery marks," Nunez waved.

But the marks were deep and even if they were no longer inflamed, she knew they would be noticeable. The time she had been dreading most was now upon them as they crossed the threshold into the platform. Students were milling around and it felt as if everyone was staring, though few actually even noticed her.

"Be safe Belmont," the Aurors told her before helping her load her chest onto the train's undercarriage.

Tansy stole away to a cabin in the far back of the train. Taking a seat next to the window, she kept her hood drawn and her head leaned against the window as she glared out. There would be no hiding forever, but she could imagine the satisfaction of Gabby's face when she saw Tansy's now had to scars. The black scars on her torso were already bad enough.

 _Not even 16 and I look like I've been chewed up and spat out,_ she thought, wondering what she'd look like when she was twice the age.

"There you are!" the door slid open and Nova entered, a backpack hanging off of one shoulder as she popped some bubblegum. "What's up?"

Tansy gave her friend a nod, not quite as ecstatic as she should have been.

"What's rubbed you the wrong way? Where's my hug you donkey?" Nova asked, throwing her bag down, placing her hand on her hip.

Tansy took a moment, but she moved, getting up to hug her best friend. As she reached forward, Nova grabbed hold of her hood and yanked it down hard just as Tansy's arms encircled her. " _What the_ -" the girl shoved her back and held her by the shoulders. "What in the… what _happened_?"

"Is it that bad? It's awful isn't it?" tears were burning in the corners of her eyes and she sniffed, trying to hold them back.

"I-" Nova was always brutally honest, her brown eyes reflecting Tansy's blue. "I was just surprised. It's not that bad. Kinda badass actually. What'd you get attacked by an owl? That why you never wrote me back?"

"No, it's a long story," Tansy muttered glumly, Nova leading her to sit down beside her.

"We've got a long ride… But all of this? Girl, you've got to own it. These scars are as deep as you allow them to be. You're not missing your nose, you're not blind in one eye. You let anyone other than me know that you're upset by this and they'll use it against you. Whether that be Gabby or Lyla. Own them, they're a part of you now," Nova told her, brushing back some of Tansy's hair from her face, patting the hood down. "Want to tell me what happened?"

Tansy launched into the description of the worst summer ever and didn't have to exaggerate with how awful Gloria was. She had just gotten to the part about the curse accusations when the door to the caboose opened again. When both girls glanced up Jasper froze in the doorway. Someone followed closely at his heels, but upon seeing the duo he turned back around and muttered something to them. He proceeded to enter alone, closing the shade on the glass door.

"You-" Jasper began before Nova silenced him with a venomous glare. "The Squib?"

Tansy picked up from where she left off, bringing them up to speed on the events leading up to their arrival at King's Cross.

"I may have been a little harsh, but it's not as if she didn't deserve it. She had been spewing insults before she took a step through the door. And in the end, I'm the one punished for one outburst," Tansy concluded, opening her hands in disbelief, revealing the hidden scars crisscrossing her palms.

"Merlin's beard, where else?" Nova seized her hand and ran a dark finger across her ruined skin.

Now that it was out to dry, she rolled up her sleeves and bared her forearms. "She ended up leaving the knife down here," she grabbed her sweatshirt and tugged it up enough to reveal a puncture mark against her tummy, opposite of the cursed scars from the banshee which were still hidden beneath her clothing.

"You're quite accident prone, aren't you?" Nova mused, trying to lighten the mood.

"I wouldn't call them accidents. I'd just say a lot of people and things would like to kill me," Tansy retorted, pulling her shirt back down.

"Scars are cool. I'm actually kind of jealous," Jasper told her. "When those heal up, you'll have these cool scars. You still look the same, they're just a testament to your character."

She appreciated her friends' attempt to brighten her attitude, but it wasn't them she had been worried about. It was the rest of the school, the people who didn't know her that well. No one else in the school was as marred and roughed up as she was.

Nova and Jasper changed the subject and began talking about their own summers. Jasper had spent his time with his uncle, working with muggle items and enchanting some and also bringing in items that had been hexed or cursed by other witches and wizards. From the sound of it, Jasper's uncle was invested in his work, but made certain to spare enough time and include Jasper in his endeavors. The Ironly was bright and excited to detail the various enchantments he had personally worked on with his uncle.

Nova on the other hand had been down in South Africa managing the green houses her parents owned. She raved about the local plants and how she hoped they would be taught in their upper level Herbology classes. The way that Nova spoke about plants, Tansy could see the passion in her eyes, akin to that when she gushed about new makeup.

A determined rap on the door drew they attention and an older student in Slytherin robes was standing there. He gave Jasper albeit of an insolent look before focusing on Tansy.

"Belmont can I speak with you for a moment?" he requested.

Tansy knew who he was and he had been among one of the Slytherins who had ostrasized her when she and Ramsay were at odds. He'd come and apologized after Gabby attacked her and was the Quidditch team captain for the Slytherins. Walker was his name if she recalled correctly. He was the Slytherin keeper, a broad shoulders 7th year with a face that had definitely been hit by a bludger once or twice.

Tansy got up and followed the captain out into the hall, wondering if Ramsay had put him up to this. "What's up?"

"We're in a bit of trouble this year with the team. Our Seeker moved and transferred to another school out of country. I know back some years ago you were a prospective choice your first year," Walker began, leading in a direction that Tansy wasn't really interested in.

"Why are you asking me personally? You could easily get a new player from our house," Tansy frowned.

"Because, half of the team is levied toward Ramsay. He's probably going to become the next captain and I know for a fact that he's been wanting Gabrielle on the team. No offense to her... well actually, every offense, she's too emotional and I can already see the problems she'd cause. Not to mention I doubt her ability, Ramsay would just be getting her on the team for no good reason and we've let the cup slip out of our fingers too many times now. I need someone with a good head on their shoulders that will be objective and I've got few options."

"And I'd have to put up with Ramsay more. What's in it for me?" she asked narrowly.

"A spot on the team without conflict. It's my call, I'm still the captain for the year. You'd just need a broom and if Ramsay gives you any issues, just talk to me. I want Slytherin to win this year, that's all I care about," Walker replied gruffly.

I should contemplate it, really think about it, but... Tansy could imagine the angry look creased on Gabrielle's face when Tansy stood in the emerald Slytherin Quidditch robes. "Deal. But if you turn on me, I'll drop from the team, mark my words," she put out her hand.

Walker gave her rough shake, nearly squeezing her hand to pulp in his massive bear paw. "Here take a look through this catalogue. I know you have money, so be certain to purchase a suitable broom. We do have some old Nimbus 2001s for the team, but there are much quicker models out for Seekers," he planted a rolled up Quidditch magazine into her hand. "Like I said, all I care about it winning. Any drama that Ramsay tries to start will be shut down, but the same goes for you."

"Fair enough. Keep me posted on the practices," Tansy returned to Jasper and Nova in a brighter mood than she had been before. In fact, Walker hadn't even mentioned anything about her face!

"What was that about?" Jasper asked.

"You're looking at the new Slytherin Seeker," she unfurled the catalouge and grinned wildly at the both of them.

"What? Why?" Jasper stammered.

"They needed a new Seeker and didn't want it to be Gabby. I'll have you know, I'm an amazing flyer," she bragged, scowling slightly at his disdain.

"You afraid that Blue will be the cause of you losing the Quidditch Cup?" Nova teased.

"I'm just worried that she'll be on the same team as Ramsay."

"Walker promised that he won't stand for any drama, he just wants to win the cup. I can be objective and put my differences aside for a game. If he can't, Walker will replace him. I already have to see Ramsay in all of my classes," she shrugged.

"Yeah, but you weren't on a team of 7 people. I don't like it at all," Jasper grumbled, crossing his arms and leaning back against the upholstered seat.

"I can always leave the team before the season starts if it doesn't work out," Tansy replied, flipping open the magazine. "Now help me pick a broom."

Jasper didn't seem fond of the idea, but he did help her look through the brooms, his mood improving as he pointed at various models and began explaining them to her.

"You've got to look for a sleek model, ever since year 2000 hit, brooms have become position specific. Before, the fastest brooms were always the best, but now brooms are built to accomplish different jobs. Like this one-" he pointed to a thick broom with a beautifully polished red handle, bristles sticking out in every direction. "-is a Keeper broom. Heavy wood and thick handle, better to stabilize yourself. Good for short, jerky movements and is beefy. However, it a battle of speed, it would lose to say... this one-" his finger slid to dark broom with smoothed bristles. "This is the Halo, a combination usually used for Beaters, good for speed, agility, but also taking a bludger hit," this broom was a smooth oak, heavy wood with a fine polish and smoothed bristles. "Now the Seeker brooms have gotten more and more flashy over the years, because people like to really get a look at the Seekers when they're zipping off after the Snitch. These brooms have to be the fastest and aside with the Keeper brooms, are the most expensive."

Jasper flipped through the pages and brought up the section for Seekers. There were various brooms, but the recurring theme was that they were sleek and light, built for being aerodynamic, and less for comfort. Some of the brooms were bright, obnoxious colors, dyed to match whatever team you were on. Tansy found herself leaning toward a more classic looking broom, but the majority were flashy.

"What about that one?" she pointed to a pale wood broom, the grains were golden and the pegs appeared to be either silver or white gold. The bristles were a soft grey with streaks of bright gold interlacing, the bundle kept together with a thick ring at the mid section. The bristles were not as smoothed as some of the other brooms, but nor was it untamed and wild like Hagrid's beard.

"That's the Griffin, gorgeous Seeker broom, used on a lot of professional teams. One of the fastest brooms out there, changes directions on a dime, but... You get hit with a bludger and you better bet you're going down."

"Don't most people go down when they're hit with a bludger, regardless of broom?" Nova inquired, arching a brow.

"I seem to recall last year-" Tansy began, reminding him of his own spill during the Slytherin vs Gryffindor game.

"That was foul weather and besides the point," Jasper grumbled, a touch of color on his tan face when he was reminded of the accident. "You wanted advice and I know you're more of the kind to take blows and deal them. If the Griffin gets hit by another player, the issue it has is it's lightweight and will veer off course a lot. A broom with more stability like the Saturn might bid you better-"

"Don't listen to him, he just doesn't want you to buy the fastest broom and beat Gryffindor. I seem to remember your Seeker is riding on an Firebolt, right?"

"The Firebolt is an amazing broom! One of the best in its class-"

"And outdated. The Griffin came out just this summer, didn't it?"

Tansy wasn't aware that Nova knew so much about brooms or Quidditch. Glancing between her friends, she saw the tension in their eyes.

"He wants Gryffindor to have another cup. He might be our friend, but not when it comes to Quidditch," Nova added sharply.

 _It's true, he is very competitive when it comes to Quidditch_ , she thought, recalling her earliest memories of meeting Jasper. When he was just a boy, he had gushed all about Quidditch and she'd nearly thought he wouldn't shut up. "Perhaps The Griffin is the best route..." she drawled, waiting for his reaction.

"Fine! Get The Griffin. It's an amazing broom, but you're just starting Quidditch. A broom that expensive may not be worth it, did you even look at the price?" he pointed to the amount of galleons, which totaled to nearly 1,000.

Tansy had never been one to flaunt her wealth, though it had been duly noted by others on multiple occasions that her belongings were always of high quality; much higher quality than an orphan should be able to afford. Nova had been with her to Diagon Alley for the past few years and had noticed that the girl never had any issues paying for things, especially those of finer quality.

Nova gave her a knowing, sidelong glance, but didn't make a point to tell Jasper that money wasn't an issue.

"Well, what else do I need? Aside from a broom?" she asked, shifting the subject as she kept The Griffin in the back of her mind.

"Proper robes, Seeker gloves, some goggles for foul weather, a broom kit..." Jasper seemed relieved to shift the subject as they went through the rest of the catalogue. Once it had been settled, Tansy filled out the slip in the back of the magazine with what she would need, selecting The Griffin as her broom and including her bank account details. She'd have to write a letter of access for Gringotts in order to pay for it along with a blood seal, she'd had to do it before when requesting coin from the bank during the school year.

A soft tap resounded against the glass and the plump, purple garbed trolley witch was standing outside their carriage. "Anything of the trolley, dears?" she asked cheerfully, her round pink cheeks smiling broadly at them.

Nova was the first to grab a handful of sickles from her pocket and Tansy followed her after she put the catalogue safely in her leather satchel. Despite the years that had passed, a giddy feeling formed in her chest when she was looking at the wizard candy. She went for two of her favorites; a pumpkin pasty and some licorice wands. Jasper was the only brave one and bought a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans.

"Come on, this one is probably tutti fruity," Jasper was offering it to Nova, but the teen's face was scrunched up.

"Don't try that with me! It's probably vomit!" she snapped.

"You'll never know unless you try it," Jasper wiggled his brows at her. "Unless... you're chicken."

Nova's nostrils flared and she snatched it out of his hand, falling for the taunt. She put it in her mouth and immediately her skin seemed sallow.

"Uh ohhh," Jasper didn't sound apologetic as he tried to mask the grin on his face.

Nova shoved her other pumpkin pasty in her mouth in attempt to counteract the flavor of the vomit. "I hate you," she managed through chewing the pasty.

"What about this one? Will you eat it Tansy?" he held up a pale blue bean.

She knew it couldn't be that bad and shrugged, taking it. "Mm, yup that's soap. Not bad though."

"Oh crap! Look at the time, we should probably get into our robes," Nova pointed out the dark window, fumbling at her bag, her mouth was still full of food.

"I can step out for a moment," Jasper offered, neatly folding the box to the beans, standing up.

Pulling the shade shut, the girls began changing into their Slytherin robes.

"Damn, that lady got you good, didn't she?" Nova remarked, making Tansy's cheeks very hot.

She pulled the shirt on quickly and made certain her cuffs were fastened tightly around her wrists. "Yeah..." she muttered quietly and albeit dejectedly.

Nova cocked her head slightly, while buttoning her shirt. "Blue, they're just marks. You're not missing a leg or a finger and you've never been bothered by your cursed scars before."

"No one ever sees my cursed scars. And if I were to ever go swimming, I can only wear a one piece."

As they were slipping on the last pieces of their robes, Nova grabbed Tansy by the shoulders and forced her to look her in the eye. "I'm not lying to you when I tell you that it doesn't do anything other than attest to your character. Actually, if there was any place to get scars on the face, across the eye and brow and on the lip is pretty cool, so stop it. Alright? Anyone gives you issues, tell me and they'll catch these hands."

"You know I'm not a snitch-"

"Aye, but you better be catching the snitch this season for Quidditch, alright? I want to see the sour look on Jasper's face when you we get the cup."

"Hey, tell him I'm going to buy The Stallion or something later on. I want to see the look on his face when he sees an owl bring in The Griffin," Tansy told her, a smile finally breaking across her face.

"That boy doesn't realize you've got money, huh? Not that you make a point of parading it around, but I see you..." Nova snickered.

"The Belmonts are an old house..." Tansy drawled, pulling back the curtain so that they could swap places with Jasper.

* * *

Hogwarts was as magical and entrancing as she remember. Never could she get used to the sight of the castle silhouetted against the night sky, windows glowing with the lights of sconces or the open ceiling that gave the feel that the stars were twinkling above their heads, hundreds of wickering candles floating above them. The faces of the first years was always the most rewarding as they marveled, open mouthed at the Great Hall.

The Sorting took place and for one that year, the majority of the students did not join Gryffindor. Tansy noticed that the hall was not filled with Aurors either, a rather pleasant sight when compared to the end of last year. When the banquet began, she had a few people inquiring about her scars, but nothing more than how she had gotten them.

Before them the table was filled with various meats like mince pie, roasted duck with confers, glazed pork chops in some sort of sweet sherry sauce, herb encrusted partridge, lamb lollipops, sliced roast beef. Vegetables such as candied yams, boil potatoes, steamed cabbage, and salad were also assembled.

The question about what was happening that year came when the feast ended and McGonagall stood up to address them all. She was in a dark velvet robe, a tall pointed hat perched on her head as she glanced down her spectacles at them.

"Welcome to Hogwarts to begin or return for your journey to learn magic. Outside the hall is posted a list of banned Weasley jokes and tricks, any students found with these contraband shall received suitable punishment. Mr Filch would also like for me to remind you that running in the halls in against the rules and to be courteous when walking inside during foul weather, wiping feet off on rugs.

"I'd also like to remind you all, in light of the activities occurring around Europe, the Ministry of Magic has put a lot of work into making Hogwarts safe enough without their presence. However, this safety came only be consummated if you keep your eyes peeled and remain alert. The entirety of the Hogwarts grounds and also Hogsmeade, has been warded against the dark magic from the notorious Cult. Despite these strides, Prefects will still be required to take an evening attendance to be certain that all students have checked in before curfew, which is at 9 pm.

"If you notice anything strange, please let a professor know rather than ignoring it. We anticipate this year classes and schedules should return to normal," McGonagall announced, applause breaking out in the hall from the older students. She cracked a smile at this and continued, "Now going back to what I had touched upon before. We've been having a lot of pranks going on in the hallways between classes, if students get caught their detentions will be much more severe than in past years."

But from the look on McGonagall's face, these were Filch's words coming out, and the detentions would likely be the same as they had been.

"I'd like to welcome back Professor Otters, our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, from her leave," she motioned to the brunette French witch sitting beside Professor Longbottom. "And our newest addition for Transfiguration, Professor Parkinson."

A woman, probably about the same age as Professor Longbottom, sat at the far end of the table with Slughorn. She had dark brown hair and a puggish face, her nose flat and nostrils flaring. There was a fleeting expression on McGonagall's face, almost as if she were slightly disapproving, but as quickly as it had been there, it was gone.

 _If I saw that, no doubt others did,_ Tansy thought.

"Now, prefects take control of your houses," McGonagall concluded, students beginning to shuffle as they stood up, exhausted from the day's endeavors.

Nova and Tansy headed off to the Slytherin common room, a dark space in the dungeon that was only illuminated by a few sparse candles and a heart. At night, it was especially dark due to the light of the sun not filtering through the tall windows that looked into Black Lake. They were just about to trudge up to their dorm when they heard a snarky voice behind them.

"Belmont!" a familiar voice called.

Both girls rounded to see Gabby standing in the common room with her hand on her hip. They exchanged a glance almost saying 'not this again', but let the blonde say what she wanted.

"Ah, I see it's true," she grinned devilishly, making a small gesture to her own face.

Nova took a step forward, but Tansy put her hand up. "Get a good look?"

"Mm, almost wish I didn't. Another Yule-tide ball this year, though I expect you won't be enjoying it," Gabby retorted smoothly.

"Oh, just like you won't be enjoying playing on the Quidditch team?" Tansy inquired.

Gabrielle blinked slowly, the gears turning slowly in her stupid head. "Tryouts haven't even happened yet and the Seeker position-"

"Has already been assigned," Tansy gave her the sweetest smile she could muster. "And you're looking at the Seeker."

"But that's not fair!" Gabby huffed, clenching her fists, her cheeks burning bright like tomatoes. "There should have been tryouts!"

"Or you thought you had some sort of in. They need people of talent, not those who are dating someone popular on the team," Nova added.

"I'm good on a broom!" Gabby argued.

"If you were that good, the team captain would have personally asked you to be on the Seeker," Tansy pointed out.

"This is ridiculous! I'm going to speak the prefect about this!" Gabby spun around and stormed away.

"What is the prefect going to do? They have no say over the Quidditch team," Nova remarked as they turned to continue toward their dorm.

"I don't know, but that was great... Although, I wonder what her problem is. She wasn't really bothering us at the end of last year," Tansy pointed out.

"Dunno, new year, renewed hatreds? Also, I got something I gotta ask you-" Nova shut the door behind them, the other girls from their year had yet to arrive. "Did Ramsay do anything last year? Anything you didn't tell me about?"

Immediately, Tansy's thoughts shifted toward the last true exchange she had with him during her 4th year. "Uh... like what?" but her cheeks were burning, betraying her.

If glares could burn holes, Tansy would no longer have a face from how Nova was looking at her. "I don't know, like push you or... maybe kiss you?"

"I... I wasn't trying to hide it from you, but it just made me so uncomfortable. Even thinking about it makes me uncomfortable," Tansy blurted out, averting her eyes from Nova.

"Girl! I'm your best friend. I shouldn't be finding these things out from Ramsay!"

"Ramsay told you?" she glanced up.

"Yeah, he told me as Diagon Alley when I bumped into him. Said he made a mistake doing it and wanted to apologize, but I told him a good enough apology would be to stay away from you. He's so flippant about Gabby, saying that he doesn't like her, then changing his mind... I don't know about that boy," she shook her head in utter disbelief before refocusing on her. "And I assume you didn't tell Jasper either?"

"Why on earth would I have done that?"

"Because you started telling him stuff last year that you wouldn't tell me. I know it's because you have a crush on him, but it hurts my feelings that you can't trust me with this stuff."

"Wait, what? What did you say?"

"That you have a crush on Jasper? Girl, I'm not stupid. You suddenly went from hating him to being best friends, people don't do that over night unless..." she let the answer hang in the air to dry. "Surprised me when he turned out to be a good guy, aside from his atrocious taste in women."

"I don't have a crush on Jasper," Tansy squeaked.

Nova rolled her eyes, leaning up off the door before throwing herself carelessly into bed. "Fine, don't admit it, but I know you do."

* * *

Mist clung to the thick verdant grass of the Hogwarts grounds. With the promise that the campus had been properly warded, Tansy had woken up early to go on a run before breakfast and classes. Now that she was on the Quidditch team, she wanted to make certain she was in premier shape. Surprisingly, she wasn't the only one who had the same idea and bumped into Jasper and a pack of Gryffindors.

"Took you for more of an afternoon runner," Jasper remarked in between breaths as she joined their group.

Tansy, trying not to dwell on Nova's words from the night before, smiled. The pace they were moving at was set for a group pace, not for a singular. She noticed Arianna was among their numbers and they were pacing her. "Well, now that I'm on the Slytherin Quidditch team I figured I'd have to train harder."

"Wait, Belmont is really on their team?" Kline pushed his way to the front to flank her.

"Yeah, you've got some real competition on Slytherin's team now," Jasper grinned.

"Damn! What kind of broom do you have?" Kline inquired.

"Thinking about ordering a Saturn," she told him, smirking to herself.

"Ah, not a bad broom, typical Seeker broom," he seemed satisfied with this.

 _You'll be in for a rude awakening,_ she thought smugly. "Well, I'd love to gush about my new position, but I've got to beat my time," she gestured to her watch.

She left the Gryffindor team behind, quickening her pace, her legs stretching out in elongated strides. Her typically mile was about 6 and a half minutes, staying with the Gryffindors had already lost her one. Long distance running always lightened her mood and heart, racing across fields almost as if she were flying.

She returned to Hogwarts clocking in at a disappointing 14 minutes. _Shouldn't have spoken with them,_ she thought glumly, chest heaving as she walked in a few circles, slowing down her heart rate. The sun was just cresting over the hills, casting amber and crimson warmth over the thin layer of fog, giving the pastures an almost painted appearance.

Upon returning to the Slytherin common room she noted that other students finally seemed to be stirring and getting up. Tansy went and showered, neatly arranging her books and parchment before tucking it all away in her leather satchel. Basil, Delta, Robin, and Nova all joined her in the common room, preparing to head out for breakfast.

"I can make you an ointment that will get rid of that inflammation," Basil was telling her, pointing to her scars that were still an angry red. "That way they'll just be silver marks."

"I'm surprised the Aurors didn't try harder to address them," Delta sniffed.

"They were Aurors, not mediwizards. It sucks, but I'll learn to live with it," Tansy shrugged, having gotten a little more accepting of her wounds after no one other than Gabby had been mean about them.

"They're not too deep," Basil observed.

"Fortunately, could have been a lot worse," Tansy said brightly, excited for their first day of classes and seeing Professor Otters again. She wasn't entirely certain about Parkinson, given the look that McGonagall had on her face, but she'd have to wait for class to see.

"I hear that Professor Parkinson was in Slytherin and was a prefect," Robin noted as they worked on breakfast.

"Yeah, but did you see the look on some of the faces of the professors? I get the feeling not everyone likes her," Delta frowned. "And she's from the _old_ Slytherin, the one that gave us a bad name."

"Maybe she's changed or I doubt that they would have brought her back," Robin shrugged.


	25. Year Five: CH 3 - The Broom

Sun trickled in through the windows on a bright morning a week into school. A handful of owls seemed to be carrying a parcel that was long, tightly wrapped, and heavy enough that it took three owls of decent size to ferry it over and drop it with a heavy thump in front of Tansy. A few other owls followed, extra parcels falling around it. One upended a bowl of porridge on Delta, who glared wildly at the owl responsible for it.

"Is this it?" Nova was reaching for the oblong package, excitement bubbling up.

"I think so," Tansy grabbed the twine securing the wrapping and began to reveal the broom within the paper. However, the warm brown broom flecked with gold was not what sat in front of her. The wood was pale, almost a smokey grey flecked with silver inlayings. The handle was brightly polished and shaped like an arrow fletching. The twigs were sleek, whitish brown with tiny buds still attached, The pegs were silver and while it was a handsome broom, it was not the broom that Tansy had paid a lot of money for.

"This isn't The Griffin," Tansy began crossly, picking up the broom so that she could glower at it better.

Underneath was a sealed envelope, which Nova picked up and opened. "Wait... Blue, wait," she waved at her, bringing Tansy back to her seat as she clutched the broom. " _Dear Ms Belmont, with our most sincere apology, we at Sky Craft regret to inform you that our professional model, The Griffin, is out of stock and on back order for a year. As we have noted that you have ordered various other products, we have sent you our latest model, which has not been released on the market yet, Artemis 21. This broom is a sleek, Seeker broom with a distressed Cypress handle and twigs from a budding elm tree. Quick like an arrow, the Artemis was created to be aerodynamic and the quickest broom of its kind. While it does not possess the same features as the Griffin, we hope that you will be satisfied with the performance of the Artemis 21 and give us your thoughts on its ability after your season._

 _"Artemis excels as bursts of speed, reaching its peak acceleration just 1.2 seconds after launching. The broom has also proven to be more sturdy than the Griffin model and we anticipate a grand release for the broom, however since it is still going through trials, we are not actively marketing it at this moment in time-_ " Nova broke off and glanced eagerly at the greyish broom. "Tansy this broom isn't even on the market yet!"

"And it's also on trial still. Who knows if this thing will throw me off mid-flight," Tansy seethed, wondering if all her money had really been worth this trial broom. She was more cross than excited, having been hoping to have the warm Griffin in her hand to showcase. Instead, she had a broom that people would question until they say it perform.

Her Quidditch robes, goggles, gloves, and broom kit were contained in the other parcels. She awkwardly ferreted them back up to her dorm before class and rejoined Nova for Charms. Their Charms class this year was to be held with Ravenclaw and the Rosewood twins sat at the same length of desks. Many of their classes the previous years had not been together, favoring Gryffindor or Hufflepuff as their class majority. On top of that, it didn't quite sit well with Megan that they had become friends with Jasper, though she never had heard the entire story.

Tansy opened her book to focus on the Banishing Charm. Much of what they were learning was material touched upon in previous years, but with the O.W.L.s approaching at the end of the year, the professors wanted to make certain they were loaded on with the appropriate material. In all truth, Tansy was eager for the end of the day to try the broom out, wondering if she were going to be sending an angry letter back to the company about how she had gotten cheated out of a lot of money.

Her daydreaming was interrupted by a sharp tap, Flitwick was blasting a pile of pillows in front of him away. They had already learned this spell and this was just another day to go over the purposes. When it was the class's turn to try their own hand, she sat back, watching as a tiny smile touched Flitwick's lips. However, the smile faded when his tiny form was flung across the room and into a pile of reserved pillows.

Eyes turned to see who had missed and with a shaking hand, one of the Ravenclaws ducked behind their stack which they had missed miserably. Flitwick got up and dusted himself off, nonplussed by the situation until said student missed again and sent a chair hurling toward the window. Flitwick only managed to deflect it just in time before it shattered the glass.

"Oh dear, oh dear me," he squeaked, trying to get the rogue objects under control.

On their way out of the class Lee was shaking his head. "My goodness, we learned that spell two years ago and it's rather simple," he sniffed.

Over the years, the twins had also grown. Lee had shot up in height, especially over the last summer. He was lanky and dwarfed everyone else. His nose seemed a bit long for his face and his hair was parted neatly to the side still. He had also needed glasses and now wore a pair of horn rimmed spectacles.

Megan had gotten a bit taller and rounded out slightly. Her lips constantly formed in a pout, her eyes turning up to her gangly brother. "Not everyone is as intelligent as you are," she told him curtly.

"Did you have any issues casting it?" Lee asked her stoutly.

Megan murmured beneath her breath, glancing at Tansy as if to plead for a subject change. "So I heard you're on the Quidditch team now."

"Yeah, we'll see how that goes," Tansy sighed, her mood had been swinging back and forth about the whole ordeal.

"Hopefully, you can shape them up. No offense, but Slytherin has been hurting, relying on dirty tricks to win them games and not skill," Tansy should have been offended, but she knew that Megan closely followed international teams and games. "If you want, I can lend you some of my stuff to watch. It's always good to look at old games recorded on my ominoculars, I've accumulated them all from the past summers."

"You'd let me borrow them?" an ominocular with several games on it was probably worth a lot. Wizards did not have televisions to watch live games and often heard about them over radio or by the newspaper the following day.

"I've got a newer one with the most recent games. Haven't looked at the old one for some time, but it's got some really good plays that would be helpful. I'll give it to you after dinner," Megan offered with a shrug.

Later that had Potions with Gryffindor. Jasper joined them around a cauldron as Slughorn sauntered in, an easy smile on the elderly man's face as he directed them to open their books to the chapter containing the Draught of Peace.

"This potion may be very useful for many of you this year. With the O.W.L.s coming up, a lot of students begin to get anxious or agitated. You may not be feeling it now, but I assure you that the O.W.L.s will sneak up on you," he gave a chipper smile and then lifted a few ingredients off of his desk. "Now for this potion you need powdered moonstone, syrup of hellebore, powdered porcupine quills, and powdered unicorn horn. Now I must warn you that this potion is very difficult and if you don't get it on the first try, don't feel deterred. Now please collect your ingredients. Groups of 3-4 for today, but come the test, you shall have to do it on your own."

"I can go grab the stuff," Nova shrugged, sliding down from her stool to approach the cabinets with a plethora of other Slytherins and Gryffindors waiting patiently for their turn.

"Heard you got your broom today," Jasper scooched closer to Tansy.

"Yeah, I'm going to try it out later today," Tansy shrugged.

"I also heard that it wasn't a Griffin. You had me thinking you were really going to spend that much coin on your first broom," there was a twinkle in his eyes, as if it were quite hilarious.

"I did spend a lot of money on my broom," Tansy informed him stoutly.

"Greyish silver broom? Arianna said she couldn't really tell what model it was, though I speculated it was perhaps a Moonbeam."

"Wrong," she breathed just as Nova returned with the materials, which were not yet powder, and sat between them.

"Alright, help me grind these up," Nova ordered, doling out the materials.

Nova had gloves on while handling the hellebore. After carefully measuring the powdered moonstone, Tansy added it to the cauldron and began stirring.

"You have to stir it until the potion turns from green to blue. Should take 7 turns clockwise," Jasper told her, Tansy was already counting the motions she had made. The Gryffindor began measuring out the next amount of moonstone saying, "So what kind of broom is it? I don't know of many that are the color that Arianna described."

Tansy, trying to focus on what she was doing, barely heard was he was saying. "Uh, an Artemis," she muttered, silently cursing herself. Was that round 6 or 8? The potion had turned blue, so she stopped turning it and let Jasper dump in the next amount of powdered moonstone, trusting his measurement.

"Counterclockwise, 7 times until it turns purple," he directed, leaning back against his stool. "An Artemis? Never heard of that before. Are you just making some broom up? I bet it is a Moonbeam."

Tansy scowled and a smile unfurled on Nova's face. "Yeah, sure it's a Moonbeam."

"I knew it! Oh come on Belmont, a Moonbeam is not the best Seeker broom. I told you that a Saturn would be better, especially as an amateur broom," he let out a wistful sigh and shook his head.

The potion wasn't as purple as she would have hoped, but stopped turning it once she reached 7. Turning the heat down, they allowed the potion to simmer.

"You worried that Slytherin is going to win still?" Nova mused.

Jasper laugh, albeit harsher than he might have intended. "Even if Tansy is the best thing on the Slytherin team, they'll have to get their act together. Your chasers don't work together and the only good thing is that your keeper isn't half bad."

Was the Slytherin team that bad? Tansy had thought they'd done well enough in the past years, but she also didn't watch Quidditch outside of Hogwarts. She'd have to take a look at the games Megan had recorded before making her decision.

The trio continued to work on the potion and the small discrepancies that Tansy had noticed became more prominent toward the end. Instead of a poof of light silver vapour, a dark black smog bubbled off and smelled strongly of sulfur. Covering their mouths, they glanced around desperately and noticed they had not been the only failed potioneers in the room. In fact, a manner of failed cauldrons sat around them. Some were spitting green sparks, another was glubbing slowly, casting dangerous droplets outside the cauldron, another was whistling loudly.

Slughorn scurried around as fast as his legs would allow him, dismayed that everyone seemed to be having problems. He tutted to himself and began taking care of the potions one by one. However, when he paused at their desk to counterbalance the potion so it could be tossed away, someone began shrieking behind them.

One cauldron had exploded and the potion had spewed over several students. With a flash, the concoction burst into flames, and those doused by it were flailing wildly.

Slughorn whipped his wand out, " _Aguamenti_!"

Water spouted from the end of his wand like a fire hose and he put out the fires, while water spilled into more cauldrons, ruining even the good potions. This set off a terrible chain of events as Slughorn tried to gain control of the classroom, most students drenched, and others still terrified. More cauldrons began to rupture and students crawled underneath their stone desks to try and evade the failed potions.

"Get out of the way! Get down!" Slughorn directed as he had more fires to put out.

Tansy and Nova had stuffed themselves beneath the desk, but did not see Jasper for a moment. He appeared, clutching his arm and groaning.

"Did you get hit?" Nova gasped, Jasper's face remarkably pale.

"I'll be fine, just a flesh wound," he muttered.

"Maybe I can heal it, let me-" Tansy crawled over and peeled back his sleeve. What she saw made her scream. "Professor! Professor!" she shrieked, her own head swimming as she turned her eyes away from the skin and flesh that was sliding from Jasper's arm like it was molten.

Her ears were ringing as she stood up. Slughorn had taken control of the room and a few other students appeared to be hurt by burns. "Professor!" she screeched as he was bent over someone, healing a nasty burn. "Jasper is hurt very badly-"

"There are a lot of students hurt badly, if you could-" Slughorn started.

"No you don't understand!" Tansy told him forcefully. "His skin is falling off the bone!"

Potions hadn't been her best class, but Slughorn had been impressed by her other work and earning points for Slytherin. She wasn't an unruly student and followed directions cordially. However, he'd always favored the students who were more apt at potions, regardless of their house.

Slughorn paled considerably when he heard this and left the student he had been helping to hurry over to Jasper who was now covered in a sheen of sweat. When Slughorn looked at his arm, the professor appeared as if he were going to faint for a moment.

"Tansy go to my cabinet in my back office. Look for a bottle labeled with PT. Quickly now, it's in a tear shaped bottle, locked away. Use this-" he took a tiny skeleton key from his pocket and handed it to her. He then began to mutter incantations beneath his breath to stem the bleeding.

Tansy snatched the key and nearly ran into the door, fumbling the knob. A plethora of tiny drawers were assorted against a wall in a huge cabinet. Her eyes widened, heart thrumming heavily in her ears as she hurried forward and began ripping shelves out. She saw a few required a key, trying the key before she found a match. A tear drop shaped bottle held a clear liquid in it labeled as 'PT'.

When she returned to Slughorn, Jasper was unconscious. He threw the glass stopper aside and upended the bottle over the grevious wound. Unable to tear her eyes from the wound where the skin and flesh had sopped right off, she watched as the muscle and skin began to reknit itself. She was awed as Slughorn completely upended the bottle and Jasper's arm, which had been nothing but bone, was returned to its normal state.

"How..." she breathed, astounded by the magic of the liquid. "Is it a potion?"

"No, phoenix tears," Slughorn told her, his face relieved that it had worked. "He's going to need to be brought to the Hospital wing, he lost quite a bit of blood. He may appear fine physically, but there will be some recovering to do."

Slughorn stood up and surveyed the damage done to the room before a shaky sigh escaped his lips. "I'm getting too old for this," he whispered, not intending for anyone to overhear him.

Slughorn proceeded to summon a stretcher for Jasper and a couple of other students, which Nova and Tansy marched over to the Hospital Wing. The matron, Madam Pomfrey frowned when she saw a handful of 5th year Potions students heading into her charge.

The strict woman hurried over to Tansy and Nova, the two students who appeared to be unscathed. "What's going on? What happened?"

Tansy explained the mess in the Potion's class and how some of the cauldrons had exploded. She couldn't attest much to some of the other injuries, but was able to explain in great detail how the skin had fallen right off of Jasper's arm.

"Goodness, we're lucky Professor Slughorn had phoenix tears in reserve," Pomfrey left what would have happened hang out to dry.

Jasper was put into a bed to recover and Tansy pulled up a chair, taking out her book to begin on some of her homework. However, she was a bit distracted, wondering how he had been able to withstand the pain. Her eyes listed around the room and she watched as Madam Pomfrey whipped around the room like a dervish, healing the burns with her wand and administering potions to ease the pain.

Never had she thought much about healing, not able to do it until she had acquired Excalibur. Her old wand had been repulsed by healing and never had a knack for it or stirring any potions that had healing qualities. Now, she watched Pomfrey hungrily, wondering about the charms she used, how she knew which potions would work best...

She barely noticed that anyone knew had entered the Hospital Wing, having kept her eyes on Madam Pomfrey. With a cry of absolute anguish, someone ran over to the bed that Tansy had been sitting by. Her attention snapped back and refocused on Jasper, who had yet to stir from his sleep.

"Oh my! Oh my sun and stars I can't believe it, I really can't believe it was true," the girl breathed out in a sob as she fell to her knees next to the bed.

Tansy just glowered at her, the noise causing Madam Pomfrey to perk up, glaring in their direction as her peaceful workplace had been disturbed by the rest of the school getting out of class and coming to visit their companions who may have been injured.

"Can you quiet down? This is a hospital not a Quidditch game," Tansy scowled, assuming that the girl was Jasper's new flame.

Tansy didn't know if she was older or younger, but she was a very pretty girl. She had a sheet of long, raven hair and almond shaped eyes that were a warm brown. She was petite and had a narrow waist, her long hair falling around her in a curtain.

Tansy expected her to narrow her eyes an give Tansy a scrupulous look, but the girl bobbed up and sat at the edge of the bed. "Oh, you must be Tansy Belmont. Jasper spoke about you all summer," the girl said. "Ming Zhang, pleasure to meet you."

Tansy wished she could have said the same, but she only managed an unconvincing half smile. "Pleasure," the word rolled of her tongue thickly.

"I heard that a cauldron exploded in your class. You're not hurt too are you?" Ming asked politely and earnestly.

"Fortunately, no, but Jasper was injured quite badly," she admitted.

Ming glanced over at him nervously, but saw that he just appeared to be sleeping. "And now?"

"He's all healed, but will need to recover his strength. He lost a bit of blood," she repeated Slughorn's diagnosis.

"Oh good, that's very good news," she paused, her doe-like eyes pinning Tansy to her spot. "Did you heal him? I mean..." she twiddled her fingers together in a manner that was so adorable that Tansy wanted to vomit in her mouth. "Jasper spoke about his best friends, but was especially fixated on you. Kept saying that you were probably the next greatest witch in our generation, so I became quite excited to meet you. I was going to meet you on the train but-"

Tansy's cheeks flushed as she recalled their trip from the Hogwart's Express. She had noticed that he had stopped someone before entering alone. Had that been Ming? "Oh... well, here I am," Tansy said weakly. "You said he was telling you about me over the summer?"

"Indeed! He was staying at his uncle's which is in the same town that my family lives in. He recognized me and we hung out a bit. And the rest was history," she released a wistful sigh and then turned her eyes back to Tansy.

 _You don't know her, give her the benefit of the doubt,_ a voice reasoned in the back of her head.

"Well, if you're going to keep an eye on him, I'll be going then. I have a few things I need to do before dinner," Tansy said politely, her chair scraping beneath her as she stood up hastily.

The noise caused Jasper to stir. He blinked open his eyes and saw Tansy first, a good natured smile unfurling over his tan face. "Do I still have an arm?" he asked bemused.

"Yes, fortunately Slughorn had phoenix tears to heal you. Ming has arrived to take over watching you, I've got to practice on my new broom. You better get well so that my team can whip yours," Tansy forced a grin to reassure her friend that everything was alright.

"With that broom?" he huffed lethargically, trying to sit up.

Both Ming and Tansy reached over, intending to push him back down into the bed if he tried to get up. "Rest or you won't be playing me," she scolded, frowning at him like a mother at a child.

"I'll be certain that he stays in bed," Ming promised, her eyes were sweet when she looked at Jasper, but twinkled mischievously when she looked at Tansy.

 _Damn it,_ Tansy thought, nodding in Ming's direction. _I kind of like her._

Instead of just exiting the hospital wing, she waited for Madam Pomfrey to finish fussing over other, injured students, before the matron came round to investigate why Tansy was still hanging around.

"You didn't get injured too did you?" she sniffed disdainfully.

"No, I just had a question..." Tansy started, Pomfrey's leer making her shift uncomfortably. "Could I volunteer my time to help out here?"

Madam Pomfrey gave her an inquisitive look, albeit softer than her typical scowl. "You're on the Quidditch team now, aren't you? When would you have time?"

"I'll find it," Tansy assured her.

"Why do you want to help?"

"I want to learn more. I studied under Professor Otters and Professor Potter in Defense Against the Dark Arts. I certainly haven't learned everything, not by a longshot, but I like being well rounded and I think I should focus on my ability in healing magics and potions as well."

"Hm," Pomfrey clicked, contemplating it for a moment. "You're quite accident prone. Learning how to heal might benefit you. Alright! I want a weekly schedule once you have Quidditch settled."

"Thank you, thank you Madam Pomfrey-"

"Don't disappoint me!" Madam Pomfrey snipped before heading into her office, the door banging behind her.

Tansy let out the air she had been holding in and started for the door. When she rounded the corner, she ran headlong into someone else who was holding their nose, sending the books underneath their arm spilling all over the floor.

"Oh!" Tansy cried, startled a bit before feeling awful that she had just knocked their things over. Bending down, she began collecting the scattered items. "I am so sorry-" but when she glanced up to see who it was, she saw a wizard that she did not recognize.

"It's ok... I was not looking," the teen said, holding his bloody nose as he tried to scoop things up with one hand. He had a strange accent, perhaps Norwegian? Or German?

"Ooh, what did you do?" she motioned to his nose as she helped neatly pile his belongings.

"I fell," the most common lie of them all. He removed the bloody handkerchief to reveal a broken nose which was still gushing crimson liquid.

"Getting hit in the face by a bludger might be more believable," she frowned, taking Excalibur out of her pocket. "Do you mind? I know a spell that might help."

The student shrugged his shoulders.

" _Episkey_!" Excalibur performed spactuarly, snapping the boy's nose back into place and the bleeding stopped. Tansy was so astounded that the charm had worked that she couldn't help but grin at him. "And then this- _Tergeo_!" the blood that had run down his neck and the front of his shirt evaporated and he appeared unscathed.

"Oh wow! I should learn that spell," he marveled, tapping his nose.

"I don't believe I've seen you around before," Tansy commented, extending a hand to the student across from her.

He was a lean boy of an average height with dark, sandy blonde hair that was short cropped and stuck out as if he fervently ran his fingers through it. He had an angular face with a straight nose and stormy blue eyes that were almost dark grey. It was difficult to tell if he were the same age as her or slightly older.

"Oh... You wouldn't have. I just transferred here this year. My parents got a job with your... Ministry of Magic and we moved to England," he pronounced the 'Ministry of Magic' slowly, as if the English words were clumsy on his tongue. "I went to Durmstrang before this, so it's a bit of a... change and I don't really know where I'm going."

"When did you get here?" Tansy asked, brows furrowing.

"This past weekend. I was a little late, so now I am playing catch up," he gave an embarrassed smile.

"And where did you- Oh, how rude. My name is Tansy Belmont," she stuck out her hand.

He shook it, seeming happy that someone was actually talking to him cordially. "Roscoe Berjsen."

"Where did you get sorted?"

"That one-" he pointed at her emerald green tie.

"Oh, you're in Slytherin? What year?"

"Fifth."

"We're in the same year then! Do you need help finding anything? Or maybe getting back to the common room? I'm headed there now to put on my Quidditch equipment."

"Oooh, Quidditch?" Roscoe's face lit up at the mention of the sport. Across all of the wizarding world, Quidditch was a beloved sport that foreign wizards all shared a passion for. But then, as if he remembered something, his face became ashen.

Tansy and Roscoe started back for the Slytherin common room. "So you want to tell me how you really broke your nose?"

"I don't know what you mean..." Roscoe blubbered.

"Who punched you?"

"I was being rather insolent. I just thought..."

"You're a brand new student and someone had the gall to punch you?" Tansy frowned.

"Don't worry about it," Roscoe brushed it off.

Tansy wanted to know, yearned to know, but she decided she was better off letting Roscoe open up on his own.

"Can I come with you to the field?" Roscoe asked.

"Sure," Tansy said, silently noting, _I probably shouldn't go on my own anyways._

Upon returning to the dormitories, Tansy slipped on her new Quidditch uniform, admiring the slim fit of the garment before she pulled on her gloves, tucked her goggles into her pocket, and picked up her Artemis.

Roscoe was waiting on one of the couches, staring up at the windows that gazed into the Black Lake. His eyes were round as saucers as the local giant squid waved at him from behind the glass. He too had changed into uniform and somehow, had his own set of Slytherin Quidditch robes.

"You're on the team?" Tansy asked, taken aback as he held a dark broom labeled as the Meteor.

Roscoe had a bit of a baleful look on his face. "Yeah... that's why-" he pointed to his nose.

He had just gotten to Hogwarts and had been placed on the team. She wondered who might have gotten the boot, because she knew that captain wanted a successful team.

"Did you play at Durmstrang?" she inquired.

Roscoe nodded.

Roscoe and Tansy headed out to the pitch that was deserted for the time being. Glancing down at her broom, she took in a deep breath of air and then mounted it. Her boots clicked against the silver pegs and the broom levitated without even a nod from Tansy.

She leaned forward and Artemis zipped off. Her hair whipped behind her and she had to veer up the moment she took off so that she didn't hit the wall of the stadium. _Merlin's beard! This broom went from zero to real in no time,_ she thought, her heart in her throat.

Quick like an arrow she was a few hundred feet above the pitch in the blink of an eye. The Artemis turned on a dime, reading the smallest lean or pull, swaying and bending with Tansy's breath. She believed for a moment, that the broom could actually read her mind. She began doing all sorts of tricks, accelerating the broom to maximum capacity and heading straight for the ground or wall to see if she could turn last second. Adrenaline rushing, Tansy let out a cry of excitement mixed with astonishment.

Once the thrill had faded slightly she zipped down to meet Roscoe, who was floating in the middle of the field. The broom halted at her command, stopping instantly as if the arrow had plunked into the bullseye of a target.

"What kind of broom is that?" Roscoe glanced at it eagerly.

"An Artemis 21," she said, beaming.

"I've never heard of it and it's the fastest broom I've ever seen!"

"It's not on the market yet. This is a prototype," Tansy bragged, the anger she originally felt fading.

"With a broom like that our team we'll definitely win," Roscoe grinned.

"If the rest of the team cooperates," Tansy agreed. She then shielded her eyes from the sun that was coming down over the top of the trees, shading them in amber. "What time is it?"

"You were flying around for an hour or so," Roscoe did admit.

" _What?_ I didn't even realize it! We should head back for dinner."

The duo soared down like birds gliding out of a tree and touched down in the verdant grass. It seemed as if there might have been an hour or two before dinner, because as they were exiting the pitch they crossed a handful of other Slytherins going to the pitch. Only two of them had brooms and Tansy saw why rather swiftly.

"Getting a feel for the pitch, Belmont?" Mulaney was one of the chasers for the team and had a very narrow, pointy face. He smiled crookedly at her, not unfriendly until he glared over at Roscoe beside her. "So you've met the Usurper then?"

"The Usurper?" Tansy repeated incredulously.

"Yeah, he stole Edwards' spot!" Ramsay had stepped forward to frown at Roscoe, who was a few inches shorter than himself.

"If he's better than Edwards, shouldn't he get the spot?" Tansy asked.

"That's yet to be seen," Mulaney retorted tartly.

"It's not my fault that your team is so bad that I can kick one off right after arriving. Isn't he older? Shouldn't he be better than you?" Roscoe spoke, directing his question toward Ramsay. Tansy glanced at him, bewildered by how well he spoke in English. Up until this point he had been bashful and stammered with his sentences. Now, he spoke clearly in an unaccented voice, each word clearly articulated. His expression was no longer ginger and he leveled his dark, stormy eyes to glower at Ramsay.

"Do I need to put you in your place again?" Ramsay asked, taking a menacing step forward.

Tansy slid between the two males. "No, no, no! We're a team and if the captain hears about this, it will be you off the team, Ramsay, and I'm aware that this means a lot to you," she intercepted, scowling at him like he was a child, despite having to crane her head up to look at him.

"Don't talk to me like you've been apart of this team, Scarface!" Ramsay snapped.

Over the course of the beginning of the year, no one aside from Gabby had made a remark about her scars. He touched a nerve and Tansy felt her face spasming in rage and disbelief. And this was the boy who had been her first kiss last year? "Perhaps Roscoe is right. Why don't you take the game more seriously and stop fussing about losing people who were no good?" she snarled.

"Roscoe? Who is Roscoe?" Ramsay's brow furrowed.

"What do you mean? _He's_ Roscoe-" she gestured over to the blonde beside her.

" _No_ , he's James Rosier," Ramsay informed her stoutly.

Tansy tried to control her rage and confusion before she said, "Either way! Get a hold of your emotions or you'll be off the team too!" She grabbed Roscoe… or James or whatever his name was and led him away. When they were far enough down the path, she glared up at him. " _James_?" she hissed.

There was a twinkle of mischief in James' dark eyes. "I didn't lie about going to a foreign school," he dropped the accent and smiled at her. "I went to Beauxbatons and my parents are the reason we moved up here. It was getting too dangerous in France and there's quite a few members of the Sacred Twenty-Eight here, so it's been a very smooth transition. The Malfoys are letting us stay with them until we figure out where we're going to move."

"Why… Why didn't you just say you were James Rosier?" she sighed, shaking her head.

"Eh, some people aren't fond of my family, especially since they were allied with the Death Eaters in the past, you know, similar story as the Malfoys. And I thought it'd be fun to pretend to be someone else for a bit. I do thank you for the nose though… And you can still call me Roscoe if you'd like."

Tansy rolled her eyes and grumbled beneath her breath. " _Anymore_ surprises?"

James gave her a sideways look. "You shall see."


	26. Year Five: CH 4 - The First Date

**Hello everyone! I'm back!**

 **I apologize for not being around and posting regularly, but I got in a bit of a writer's block rut. Now that I've taken a breather, I've returned and will try to be getting chapters out regularly again. On top of that, I'll be alternating with a Game of Thrones series (again another OC plot), so please keep your eyes open for the release of that Fic as well if you're a GoT fan!**

 **From now on I'm trying something new and will be alternating perspectives between our trio (though the majority will still be Tansy).**

 **Thank you for all of your support and welcome back!**

* * *

 _Tansy_

In the coming weeks, Jasper had proven that he wasn't very fond of James. It wasn't as if he could judge based on family, seeing that the Ironlys also had an ill past. But she supposed she could see why he was a bit apprehensive of trusting the foreign wizard. James had not only pretended to be someone else, but had weaseled his way onto the Quidditch team, which surprisingly didn't sit well with the other houses either.

James on the other hand fit in rather well with the rest of the students, especially the witches. Girls would giggle every time he passed or spared them a look. Oh and James was fully aware that he had a smolder, his dark stormy eyes causing many of them to swoon when he asked if they had additional ink or a spare quill. However, he kept close to Tansy, her first act of kindness winning him over. Between classes and Quidditch practice, they actually spent quite a bit of time together. Not to mention he was just as studious as she was, not minding to spend late evenings in the library working on papers or homework.

Nova didn't seem to mind him, but she was also taking more time to warm up to him than Tansy.

Morning was rolling around and with the end of October coming up fast, that meant the Quidditch season would begin and then the dance would be following soon after. A bit of sorrow filled the pit of her stomach as Jasper and Ming seemed to be doing well. In fact, Tansy had been going to the Three Broomsticks less and less with the Gryffindor Quidditch team. It wasn't that she suddenly felt a rivalry between them, but she'd have to see Jasper with Ming, arm around her slender shoulders, and Tansy didn't want to leer at them, wishing that she was in Ming's position.

Ming was so nice and cute that Tansy just wanted to bang her head against the wall, because there was no reason that Tansy could hate her other than that she was jealous. Jasper deserved a girl who treated him fairly, even if it wasn't her.

 _That's how friends are. They want the other to be happy,_ Tansy told herself as she tied her shoes. But was Tansy happy? Her heart wrenched everytime she had to look at them and the knowledge that Tansy wouldn't be going to the dance with him. Jasper didn't think of her in that way and now with all the scars… she was coarse, battered, and more akin to a chew toy that belonged to a dog than a witch.

"You going for a run?" James' voice startled her as she finished lacing her second sneaker.

Craning her head, she glanced back at him. "Yeah, you wanna come too?" she inquired.

"If you don't mind waiting a minute."

"No, go ahead and get changed," Tansy stretched, cracking her shoulders and rolling her neck as she waited for the Rosier to return. Her eyes listed over to the fireplace that was simpering against the wood that never seemed to deplete. Finally, James returned and they made their way for the common room door. Just before they opened the secret stone wall, someone addressed them.

"You know running doesn't make you faster in the sky," Ramsay informed them, having sauntered down from his room still in his pajamas.

"No, but it makes you more fit for all of those Quidditch moves you still can't pull off," Tansy retorted dryly. Practice had proven that much of Slytherins' skill revolved around tricks rather than skill. Walker was trying to shake that rickety foundation, but it was proving difficult for those who had dug their feet into the trenches and were unwilling to put the time in.

James was astoundingly adept and knowledgeable about Quidditch. He referenced quite a few professional teams and worked closely with Walker on their strategy for the season, including how the Chasers should utilize a better formation while working in tandem with the Beaters. Quidditch moves were just yet another thing they had been focusing on and again, James had shown that he knew several Chaser maneuvers, ones that Tansy had never seen performed at Hogwarts. However, she had seen many of them on the omniculars that Megan had let her borrow. James knew what he was talking about and Ramsay's moodiness toward him was probably out of envy.

"We aren't professional players," Ramsay rolled his eyes.

"No and you will never become one at this rate. Plateauing at mediocre," James arched a brow at him.

"I'm not trying to become a professional player," Ramsay grumbled.

"Obviously not," James gave a light tap against the small of Tansy's back, indicating that they should continue. Once they had exited out into the dungeons he glanced down at her. "That one really has it out for you, doesn't he? What is your history?"

"Uh…" Tansy reached up to rub the back of her neck, wondering how she could explain how their relationship had gone south so quickly. "We used to be best friends. Him, Nova, and I… Up until he began dating that girl Gabrielle-"

"The annoying blonde one?"

Tansy nodded slowly. "Yes and we weren't fond of her and so he grew a bit distant. At the same time, I became friends with Jasper and that pushed Ramsay over the top. Said I was a traitor to Slytherin for making friends with Gryffindors. It's more of a mess than that…"

"He had feelings for you then, I assume?" James gleaned.

Color crept up her cheeks and nipped at her ears as they headed out into the cool October air. The sun glanced between grey clouds to speckle them with its warmth sparsely. "Er… yes. Try not to slow me down. I time all my runs," Tansy told him, reaching for her watch to start the timer, changing the subject.

"Slow you down? How about you keep up with me?" James suggested before they began jogging through the courtyard and then took off down the hill around the grounds.

Tansy had not run with James before, but he definitely made her stride it out to keep up with him. Her heart hammered hard against her chest and her nostrils flared as she breathed heavily out her nose. The scenery was flying past her and she was unable to think of anything more than the steady beating of her heart and keeping close behind James, who didn't even seem phased by the pace he was setting. When she glanced down at her watch again at the mile marker she thought her heart was going to pop out of her chest. At just a little over 5:45, her legs burned with the effort, but she didn't give up.

However, James slowed the pace down to a trot down by the lake and glanced back at her, running his fingers through his dark blonde hair. "I'm surprised," he remarked as she slowed down beside him, arching a dark brow at her lean counterpart. "You managed to keep up."

"I usually aim for a 6:30, but I suppose I could have been aiming for less," Tansy replied, glancing at her watch again. "I usually do more distance, but I guess I can get some burst speed in too."

"How long have you been running?" he asked.

"Probably since I've started school. Clears my mind, good for the heart," she shrugged, her eyes turning out over the serene lake. Her memory flashed back to the lake that led to Avalon and Nimue. She wondered how her selkie friend was doing, she had not seen him yet this year.

"Not many females can run that fast. As quick on your feet as you are on your broom," James smirked, reaching his arms up above his head as he walked, to assist with airflow. "Speaking of which, what are your plans for tonight?"

"Probably some more homework in the library," she shrugged.

"Hogsmeade is open for the weekend. We could take our homework down to the Three Broomsticks," James suggested.

"Sure! Nova wanted to work in the greenhouse this afternoon and I told her I'd go with her, so after that?"

"Around dinner time works for me," James glanced down at his watch. "Long distance for the next one?"

"Yes, let's double back around on the hills," Tansy agreed as she reset her timer and her and James began a much more relaxed pace as they intended to make it up a steep incline.

"Where do you see yourself after all of this?" James asked in between his controlled breathing.

Asmodeus flashed in her head as did the Potions class where Jasper had been grievously wounded. "I thought I wanted to start my own department in the Ministry to hunt dark creatures, but now I've started doing some work with medical magic and… I don't know."

"You're only 15," James mused with a half-smile.

"Almost 16, that means I've only got a couple more years to decide," she told him concisively.

"I like that… Too many others our age aren't thinking that far ahead. Think it will just fall into their laps, but you have to have a better idea. Whether you become a Mediwitch or some variation of Auror, I think you'll succeed. You've always got your head in your work."

"You do too," she grumbled between her breaths. "What do you want to do?"

"I'm thinking about playing on a professional Quidditch team for a few years and then go into working as a Curse Breaker, perhaps at Gringotts," James had a clean cut plan of what he wanted to do despite the nonchalant manner that he described it.

"Any team would be lucky to have you."

"Some of our team doesn't seem to believe that," he reminded her lightly.

"Some of our team doesn't know the difference between a Bludger and the Quaffle," Tansy smirked.

James and Tansy separated after returning to the school to go freshen up. After changing into more comfortable attire and bathing, she met up with Nova to head down to the greenhouses. She didn't really know what Nova was working on, but she went to help keep some of the more dangerous plants at bay while Nova harvested them and logged them onto a piece of parchment.

"So what are you planning on doing tonight?" Nova asked offhandedly, continuing to harvest Valerian.

Tansy raised her wand at the Venomous Tentacula that had been edging one of its tendrils closer, a large throng of bauble eyes gazing at the wand and suddenly reconsidering the choice it had been able to make. "James and I are going to be going to the Three Broomsticks to do some homework."

"Oh yeah? Good," Nova muttered, carefully snipping a few branches before she spun around and glared at the Tentacula again. "I swear, I will cut all your tentacles off if you keep it up. Uhg, that one is the pervy one, only likes to touch girls."

Tansy nearly snorted when Nova said that, the plant curling its tendrils back at her snappy words. "Why'd you say good like that?"

Nova raised her dark eyes, a strand of ivory hair falling across her face. "Because it's good for you to get your mind off of Jasper. And James seems fond of you."

Tansy lowered her wand at the suggestion. "What? We're just doing homework," she protested, thinking back to the conversation she'd had during their morning run. ' _I like that' 'What are your plans for tonight?'_ Had he been hitting on her and she'd been so dense that she hadn't even realized? "Anyways, practically all of the girls at Hogwarts like him and there's definitely more who have a much better-" she trailed off, motioning to her face.

Nova shot her a glare more venomous than the Tentacula. "What did I tell you about that?" she snarled.

Tansy glared at her feet, ears hotter than the sun on a summer day. "I can't help it," she muttered hopelessly, feeling her insecurity blossom in her chest, a dark, nagging feeling of not being good enough.

"Why is it so difficult for you to think that there might be people who like you? Your scars are barely noticeable now and you're still comely. Try not to mess up tonight if it is a date," Nova told her, looking down her nose at Tansy.

Not wanting to think too much about it and rile herself up, Tansy shifted the subject. "What about you? You never talk about who you like or even about the dance," she asked.

Nova, for the first time, actually faltered with an answer. She hastily cleared her throat, but nothing came out through her lips. "It's a bit harder for me," she managed finally.

"Why?" Tansy crossed her arms, finally having ammunition against her best friend. Nova would always bust her up, but now Tansy had turned the tables. "Is there not a guy you like?"

"No it's not that… It's just…" she hissed a sigh as she pruned too closely to the stem and grumbled at her mistake.

"What is it?"

Nova didn't take her eyes off of the plant. "Don't worry about it."

" _What?_ Do you realize how hypocritical you sound? You fuss about me all the time and now when I'm asking you, you've got your lips cemented shut. There isn't anyone you fancy?"

"There is, but I just… I-" Nova glanced up, her eyes creased in bitterness and fury. "It's not as simple as you liking Jasper."

"That's anything but simple," Tansy argued sharply.

"I'm gay!" Nova screamed, throwing down her clippers so that they hit the dirt and lay there. For the first time, Tansy watched as Nova's eyes filled with tears. Collecting the plants she had harvested, she threw them into a basket haphazardly and kept her head down, trying to ferret her way out of the greenhouse before Tansy could say anything.

Sure, she was stunned by the sudden outburst, but Tansy felt like an idiot for not seeing it before. Nova was already weaving through the greenhouse and the Belmont could feel her legs churning beneath her as she chased after her. Before Nova could slip between her fingers, she grabbed her tall friend by the shoulder and spun her around, tears streaming down Nova's dark cheeks.

Tansy pulled her best friend into an embrace and for the first time, Nova's unbreakable wall came crumbling down all at once and Tansy felt herself stroking her pale hair. "I'm just afraid. Afraid of being rejected. Afraid of people calling me a queer and hating me for something I can't help. And then what if the professors make me stay in a room by myself? I've had to keep it to myself, but I…" Nova blubbered softly.

"Hush now. There's nothing wrong with how you feel. You're still my best friend and I still love you. Liking girls doesn't change that you're a fiery and kickass witch. You'll find someone, but take time to let other people know and if someone's got a problem with how you are, just tell Jasper or I. If people judge you based on their sexuality, they're not worth our time, because they don't realize what an amazing person you are," Tansy told her gently before pulling her back, pulling her sleeve down so that she could wipe the tears from Nova's face. "Never seen you cry before."

"Shut up," Nova cracked a smile in spite of herself, sniffling and wiping her own nose. "No one hears about this, ok?"

"Promise. It's up to you to move at your own pace, but I support you, ok?"

"I know you do. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have a friend like you. I've been like this my whole life and my parents… I know how they feel about it and I'm scared," she drew in a shaky breath and then steeled herself. "But anyways, if you've got a date tonight you have to look good, alright? I can do your hair and some light makeup."

"That's if it's a date," Tansy managed through pursed lips.

" _That's if it's a date,_ " Nova mimicked in a higher voice, rolling her eyes. "He spends almost every night late in the library with you and you actually let him run with you. Not to mention he's got plenty of girls following him around and he's stuck close to you since you've met. But _nooo_ it's not a date."

"Uhg… Just don't do anything too over the top," Tansy sighed.

* * *

"There, have a look won't you? You've got nice enough skin that I didn't have to do much… and well, I don't exactly have your fair ass shade of foundation," Nova had her turn around to gaze into the looking glass.

Tansy's hair, which was usually tied up in some manner, had been let down and curled loosely toward the end. Since her brows were so thick and dark, Nova had only put on a light eyeshadow and swiped on some dark cat-eye winged liner and curled lashes. A touch of rosy blush illuminated her cheekbones and the finishing touch had been a shimmery lip gloss. Paired with a sweater, a pair of jeans, and boots, she actually felt quite comfortable in her own skin. At first, she had believed that Nova was going to do her up as much as she did herself everyday.

"Wow, I thought-"

"Thought I was gonna do you up like myself? No, maybe for the dance, but I can't have you outshining all of this," she flipped her hair dramatically.

"I didn't to look like I tried too hard. Especially if it's not a date," Tansy chuckled, albeit nervously as she picked up her leather satchel bag and wrung her hands anxiously.

"Stop it," Nova took her hands apart. "Just go and do your homework. Don't be weird."

"Me? Be weird? I'll just go get a butterbeer and work on my paper and-"

"Breathe. Dear Merlin you're a talented witch but a hopeless mess when it comes to real dates," Nova remarked, shaking her head as she steered Tansy out the door of their dorm and to the staircase. "I want to know every detail once you get back."

Tansy nodded and swallowed, her tense legs carrying her down the stairs like a toy soldier, incapable of bending at the knee as she continued forward. When she got down to the common room, no one paid her much heed as she walked around, searching for James. She found him in a navy jacket and khaki trousers, a bag slung over his own shoulder as he waited patiently for her.

He gave her a quick look and then they were off for the second time. Just like they were running, her heart hammered in her ears. Why was she so nervous? Did she have feelings for James? Why else would she be so nervous about all of this? She might have 'dated' last year, but this was completely different. James was good looking, smart, and an amazing Quidditch player. What would it be like to date him? Could she set aside her feelings for Jasper? Would dating someone else help her move on?

The Three Broomsticks was busy that evening, but they were able to snag a table near the fire. The Gryffindor team was on the other side of the pub and Tansy noticed that Jasper was there too. He might have snuck a glance at her, but she settled into her own seat and began pulling out her homework.

"Have you gotten started on your paper for History of Magic?" she asked, uncapping her inkwell, the subject of school helping her get over her nerves.

"I'm about halfway done," he glanced up and smiled at Madam Rosmerta as she delivered butterbeers for them. "Thank you." When the owner had flashed a smile and moved on to help other customers. "You look nice tonight," James told her.

"Thanks, likewise," Tansy retorted, feeling like a bit of an idiot. She picked u her butterbeer and took a few large gulps before dipping her quill into ink and beginning on the paper. Time began to slip between their fingers and she lost track of time and had already finished on butterbeer. For a date, it was quite relaxed and neither of them really spoke, focusing on their work.

"Tansy," she was in the middle of her closing paragraph when she glanced up to see stormy eyes fixated on her.

"Hm?"

"I hope there wasn't a misunderstanding about tonight," James began carefully. "I really respect you as a peer, teammate, and colleague, but… I didn't intend for this to be a date. I apologize if it came off that way."

Tansy paused, not noticing that her quill was dribbling ink all over her parchment as she froze there. "A date?" she said blankly after a moment of silence. "I didn't… think this was a date," she lied through her teeth.

James' brows shot up and he gave her a dubious look over that made her cheeks burn. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she said snippily as she turned her attention to the mess she had made. She tried to blott off as much as she could without ruining the rest of her paragraph. She realized she would have to rewrite all of her work before it was suitable to hand in. Despite it, she concluded the rest of her work and rolled up her ruined essay before depositing money for her drinks on the table. Her mind was a little frazzled from the weak liquor in the beverage, but she felt so embarrassed that she had thought this was a date that she didn't want to stick around any longer. "I'll see you later."

Bell tinkling behind her, Tansy felt her insecurities come rushing in all at once. _Keep it together Belmont, keep it together. You're still in town,_ she told herself, trying to collect her emotions, but they were slipping between her fingers like water. Shouldering her bag she began storming back up toward the school, light flurries beginning to fall from the sky, an early season snow. She sniffled once she was out of Hogsmeade.

 _Stupid idiot. You knew it was just a study session. Why did you have to build it up to more? James has a lot of girls who like him,_ Tansy began beating herself up mentally, fighting back bitter tears. It wasn't James' fault, there was nothing to be upset with him about, but it had been nice to felt wanted. Now that feeling had been snatched from under her and she felt like it had something to do with her scars.

She slowed down and trailed into an outcropping of trees, not wanting to cross paths with anyone in her deplorable state. She slid down one of the soldier pines and sat in the dirt.

* * *

 _Jasper_

"When is Belmont going to come back out with us? I sort of miss her glib remarks," Kline asked Jasper, as if Jasper had a better idea of when she'd come back. In all truth, Jasper had no idea. Ever since she'd returned to school she'd been acting a little bit different, as if she'd lost a good portion of her confidence. Perhaps it had something to do with the scars she had acquired, not that it had changed her that much.

"She's focusing on studying for the O. ," Jasper shrugged, glancing over at Ming who had made herself comfortable among them. He had to admit, he really did like her, but there was an emptiness that no one he had dated had ever been able to fill. He didn't know what he was looking for at this point and just hoped that it would only take time for that void to be filled. Ming adored him, that much was obvious, but she was quite clingy and Jasper wasn't a bit fan of being pestered and badgered.

"Quidditch season is about to begin too," Arianna reminded Kline. "Or did you forget she's their new Seeker?"

"Don't remind me, Slytherin might actually have a chance with her and that foreign exchange student… Rosier, right? I've seen him practice and he's bloody amazing," Kline groaned.

The door to the pub opened again, for probably the umpteenth time that hour, but instead of a vaguely familiar face, he saw it was Tansy and James, but no Nova. He was also astounded to see that Tansy had on makeup and her hair had been let down and curled. _Is she on a date?_ He wondered, catching her eye as she took a seat on the opposite side of the Three Broomsticks. They were only doing homework, which was completely typical for her, but she had on some sort of eyeliner and lipgloss.

"Want to invite them over here?" Ming had observed that he was staring.

"Uh, no, looks like they're doing homework and Tansy'll bite my head off if I pester her while she's working," Jasper responded, but his stomach churned. He wasn't fond of James, but he was less fond to see that Tansy had gotten dressed up to go out and do homework with him. Was he jealous that one of his best friends was hanging around some other guy? Why should he be? She'd dated someone last year…

 _And you felt the same way,_ he reminded himself.

He barely could pay attention to the conversation that was going on, most of what they were saying was falling on deaf ears. They were talking about some kind of rumor that was going around the school in regards to performers for the Yuletide ball. Most students would be staying at the school for Christmas break to enjoy the dance and now, Jasper could also enjoy it seeing he wasn't a 3rd year. If he and Ming were still together, he'd probably be taking her.

Suddenly, he noticed that Tansy was tucking her things away and heading for the door. He caught a glimpse of her face, a smooth mask aside from the crinkle of her brows together as she took long strides to depart. He knew that look, the expression she made when she was trying to keep herself from boiling over. He stood abruptly, knocking over a few butterbeers.

"Oh-" he cursed as he fished out the money for the drinks he had ruined. "I just remembered something I have to do."

"I'll head back with you then-" Ming stood up beside him.

"No," he said, albeit sharper than he intended. "No, I have to go on my own."

Ming was taken aback and confused as he strode out of the tavern and back toward Hogwarts. Tansy was quick, she'd always been, and he was nearly jogging to catch up with her. He spotted her eventually, making a detour off the path, confirming his suspicions that something was bothering her. He came round the bend and into the trees where he found her slumped against a tree. He nearly slipped and fell on the bed of pine needles. How many butterbeers had he drank? It was easy to lose track when you weren't paying attention.

"Belmont," he breathed, approaching her and taking a knee beside her.

She had her hand on her face, trembling slightly as her dark hair fell around her in thick ringlets. "Jasper not now," she muttered. "I just need to be alone."

"This isn't the first time I've seen you cry before," Jasper told her gently, reaching over to remove her hand from her face. Her brilliant eyes were watery and red, striking against her pale, freckled skin. He'd always thought they were like pieces of lapis lazuli, contrasting against her dark lashes and hair. "What'd he say?"

"Nothing, I… He didn't do anything wrong," she struggled to her feet and turned away, crossing her arms defensively. "I'm just upset with myself."

"Why?" he reached forward again, compelled to tuck some of her hair behind her ear so that he could see her face. Even when he'd first become friends with her, he hated seeing her in despair. She typically was so stoic, so strong, but seeing this side of her reminded him that even the strongest people had weaknesses. For someone he admired so much, seeing her weak ailed him.

"I…" she paused, her eyes flitting over to him. "Still dealing with my scars."

Jasper had barely noticed them since the redness had vanished, nothing more than just thin silvery lines. Only the part of her brow that was missing hair and the slight dip on the corner of her lip nodded to the wounds. Again, he was reaching forward, propelled forward by an unknown force as he brushed his thumb against the scar on her brow and then trailed down to her lip.

Why had he never asked Tansy out? She was intelligent, headstrong, talented, beautiful… Just touching her face raised the hair on the back of his neck and arms. Was he afraid that he'd experience the same void with her and then ruin their friendship? Ramsay had already let his own jealousy ruin his friendship with her and Jasper was afraid to follow in the same path.

"Jasper?" her voice brought him from his thoughts, his thumb still against her lip as she spoke softly. This was one of the few times that she was vulnerable and unguarded, her eyes caught his. He couldn't tear his eyes away, feeling the heat in his face and the flutter of his heart at their closeness.

He'd made up his mind.

Jasper cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers. They were soft, slightly tacky and sweet from the lip gloss she was wearing. She didn't resist him, not at first, as he pulled her closer, enjoying the rich smell of cloves and cinnamon on her. He wanted more, his fingers tight against her back, but she pulled herself out of his grasp, her brows creased and confusion bright on her face.

"You have a girlfriend!" Tansy reminded him sharply, clearly conflicted by what he had just done.

Jasper didn't regret it, not one bit. He reached up and rubbed the lip gloss from his mouth, wishing he could taste more as she backed away from him. "Tansy…" he started, but he knew he'd done it. She was going to be angry at him for quite some time and she had a right to. He did have a girlfriend and now he regretted that he did. He wanted her, he had for some time, but it had taken him too long to act on it and now he'd gone and done it at the wrong time.

"That can be fixed," he told her.

"No," Tansy snapped, the sorrow vanishing from her face to be replaced with wrath. "I will not be responsible for this.. Until you can fully commit to me, we're just friends. I… I've liked you for a long time, but at this point you don't have a good track record, Jasper. I'm not going to be another girl that you'd toss aside as easily as you were about to do with Ming."

He was taken aback to hear that she liked him, but cursed himself silently for not doing this the right way. The fact that she said they were still friends also startled him. "Then… I'm sorry." But he wasn't. Not truly and he didn't know what it would take to prove to her that he was ready. Just breaking up with Ming wouldn't be enough. "I'll walk you back?"

"No, I'm a registered Animagi, remember?" even though her face was frowning, her eyes had brightened considerably. Before he could do anything, she dropped to all fours and a black dire wolf replaced her, ears flicking back at him as she shook her head. Jasper wanted to shift as well, chase her through the forest, but watched as she slid into the evening shadows and bolted away.


End file.
